The Unwanted
by FirstYear
Summary: It had been partly his idea. When he had suggested her magic be taken, to keep her out of Azkaban, she had been a child, he only a few years older, now he had to deal with it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing**

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**This is one of those stories I felt I had to take down to fix. It was that poorly written. It still is not the best out there, but at least it should now be readable. Hope you enjoy, and if you have read it already, sorry about that, but thanks for putting up with the original.**

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**The Unwanted**

**Chapter One**

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Elizabeth Gilstone was up early that last morning of her childhood. She was not sure what woke her, perhaps the cool air streaming in through her open window or perhaps her parent's voices from the room below her own. Turning her eyes to look at the clock on her bedside table, she moaned and lifted her hand to rub the back of her neck. The soreness from the night before had turned into a stabbing stiffness. She must have landed harder than she'd thought, when she had not cleaned the kitchen to her stepfather's satisfaction and earned his swift punishment.

She sat up and swung her legs to the side of the bed, eased them down to the floor, and slid her feet into the shoes that sat waiting for her. One benefit of sleeping in socks, she thought. She slept with all her clothes on. Showering and dressing the night before, she had learned to be ready when he called her downstairs for the day. It was better than making him wait. He did not like to wait.

Reaching under her pillow and grabbing her wand, she placed it in the waistband at the small of her back, ready to start her day.

Elizabeth could not legally do magic. She was much too young. However, her stepfather had set up anti-tracing wards on the house, thereby enabling her to perform simple household cleaning and personal hygiene spells. As an added precaution, he had claimed his wife's wand stolen and bought the wand under the pretence that it was for her. The Ministry of Magic would have no way of knowing who was performing the magic. If they noticed anything, they would assume his wife had found her original wand and on occasion still used the replacement.

Elizabeth did not have a mere training wand. Hers was a full 11 1/4-inch sycamore. She was unsure of the core, but didn't give it much thought. In an illegal wand, the core would not much matter. She dreamed of the time she would go to school and get her real wand, the wand that she would use for the rest of her life.

She heard footsteps on the hardwood floors below, and knew it was her step-father striding to the bottom of the stairs. She rose and went to her bedroom door waiting. It did not take long.

"Girl! Down here now!" he roared up to her, his voice echoing against the walls and up the stairwell.

Elizabeth did not wait for more than the first word of the command to start hurrying down the carpeted hallway. By the time he had made his demands, she was at the top and looking down.

"Just don't stand there looking dumb. Get down here and get busy." Elizabeth ran down the stairs seeing him turn smartly on his heel and stride to the front entry door. "You're late. I expect you to be waiting when I call. There will be no lunch today."

"Yes sir." She whispered, watching him close the door behind him before running down and turning to her right to proceed to the kitchen where her mother would be waiting for breakfast.

"Good Morning, Mother. What do you want today?"

"Just make some eggs, toast, and slice a tomato. Make sure the eggs are cooked right girl, and watch the toast. I will not waste food because you make in uneatable."

Elizabeth was unsure if her mother's whine was aimed at her, or the cost of the new robes she was peering at in the advertisements in the newspaper. She wished her stepfather would allow the house elf to prepare meals. He owned three. She moved to the pantry to gather what she needed with a look back over her shoulder to make sure that her mother had stayed sitting at the table surrounded by her papers.

"Harold said you were late again this morning. You know the rules," her mother sighed.

"Yes Mother," Elizabeth whispered. "No breakfast and no lunch. Although how I can be late for the meal I am cooking is beyond me."

It seemed like only two seconds later that she was spitting blood into the sink, and wincing as she touched her swollen cheek. Her mother may have been a small woman, but she knew how to hit, Elizabeth thought.

She _knew_ not to backtalk_,_ _knew _what would happen if she did, but it often slipped out when her mind was elsewhere. She peeked back at the table to check that her mother had sat down, before wiping her mouth and returning to her task, determined to be good.

Just once, she wanted her stepfather to come home and hear that she had behaved as she should. Just once, she wanted to have him look at her and be proud. She thought that tomorrow she would try harder, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, taking a deep breath before turning back to the pantry.

The rest of the day passed as any other. Elizabeth cleaned house, worked in the garden, prepared lunch for her Mother, and put dinner in the oven.

The only thing that marked today as different from any other day was the small brown barn owl with a message attached to its leg that came pecking at the window. She quickly pushed the sash up and untied the missive, waving off the bird and squealing when she saw her name under the Hogwarts seal. She was about to open the engraved stationary when her mother yanked it from her hands.

"Mother? It had my name on it. May I…"

"You may not. I will give it to Harold. I am sure we will have something to say about this," she spat as she turned on her heel and left the room.

Later that night Elizabeth could not sit still at the table. She squirmed in her seat and cast shy glances at her stepfather waiting for the subject of the owl to come up, as she knew it would. In her mind she played out everything she would say, every argument she could give, waiting for just the right time.

"Harold, we received a letter from that school, an owl brought it this afternoon, appears they think the girl will be old enough to attend next year."

"Waste of time. She knows how to keep house, and cook. I will make sure she gets the proper instruction in a wife's duties. What more do they think she is capable of doing? What more does she need?" His voice started to rise. "It's that damned Dumbledore and his mixed blood ideas. She is a pure blood. She will be treated as one should be."

Slamming his fork down on the table, he turned on Elizabeth.

"Who do you think you are? Do you think I would spend good money for you to go to school to learn foolish things you don't need? Do you think for one moment that a witch needs more than a wizard and a good fuck?"

"Sir, please." Elizabeth looked up from her plate, meeting her stepfather's eyes. "It wouldn't cost that much, and I would study really hard. I could make you proud and…"

"Shut your hole," he sneered at her.

"Please?" she whispered again.

"How dare you?!" He pushed his chair back so hard it crashed to the floor. "How dare you look at me like that? You are a pure blood. You _will_ lower your eyes to a wizard." He stormed to her side of the table raising his hand and letting it crash against the side of her face.

"You are in this world for one reason and one only. You will become the wife of a pure blood! You will raise sons! You will not bring more shame on this house than your mother already has. Is that clear?" he thundered and raged at her, and raising his hand again, he hit her with enough force to bring tears to her eyes and blood dripping to her chin.

"Yes sir, "she managed to whisper, not daring to look at him.

"Clean up this mess. We are done with dinner and you have eaten enough. No one wants a fat witch. Perhaps we should start your training tonight, by this time next year you will be married or at least contracted. If we are going to follow the old ways we have to make you ready."

"Harold! You… you can't, she is your daughter. How will it look to the old families if you …"

"I will take her with me tonight. There is a Revel at Malfoy's. I am sure someone will be willing to introduce her around." he smirked. "The inner circle will be there. Maybe I can interest one of them."

"No, absolutely not…,"

"The son's of the loyal will be there. They are the ones she is available for," he purred. "However, I am sure I may able to gain some favour by sharing you."

"You wouldn't." She was barely breathing. "You wouldn't let them defile your own wife that way."

"Then I will take your spawn, or should I say our beautiful pureblood witch? The Crabbes and Goyles will be there, not to mention Malfoy's own son." He laughed at the look on her face. "I need to be in favour with the dark lord and I plan on finding a way. If it is through her, so be it. I plan to pawn her off on a good family with a name that will take us places. If I can do both at the same time that would only be a boon."

"You promise to bring her home?" Her mother looked over at her timidly. "I can't keep up this house myself. And, I don't think you want to spend a fortune on healers."

"She will be fine. Have her ready at 8:00 pm. Make sure she wears something old mature. Tonight I will have the eye of the inner circle, wait and see if I don't. Someone in that room will be my son-in-law, someone with the Lord's ear."

Elizabeth sat in front of the mirror while the house elf did her hair, allowing silent tears to fall. She cried not because of the upcoming party with her stepfather, but for the loss of school. At eleven years old, she did not know about the Dark Revels, or what going to Malfoy Manor meant. She did not know what would happen or what he expected of her. She did not understand about the training that was going to take place, but instinctively knew that there was something involved that even her mother found objectionable. Why else would her parents be concerned about healers? She vowed to herself to be good, to do as she was told and not anger her stepfather.

She knew he wanted to have more responsibility in the Death Eater ranks. His Lord must be indeed a powerful man indeed, to be so revered and adored. Often she would lie on her stomach and listen through the grate in the floor to conversations espousing his glory. Perhaps if her stepfather found his favour he would be happier at home. She looked in the mirror and frowned, wishing she were pretty enough to make him love her.

"There you is young Miss." The elf patted her head kindly. Yous hair all done."

Elizabeth sighed and stood up. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw her puffy eyes, tear stained face and runny nose. Knowing that her stepfather would be displeased, she removed her wand from her waistband and did a couple of simple spells to her face, before tossing her wand on the nightstand. She hoped she looked good enough.

She was in the entry hall waiting for him when the wards went off announcing a visitor. Elizabeth was surprised as unannounced guests were a rarity at Swiler Manor. She was not sure of what to do when the elf did not appear at once. She tried to make out the dark shapes on the unlit stairs through the small, thin lead-glass window next to the main door, when her mother came up behind her.

"Go to your room girl. Now!" She glared at Elizabeth. Waiting until the girl was out of sight she opened the door to find a Wizard in flowing yellow robes decorated with tiny, twinkling silver stars. He had a flowing white beard half way down his chest and blue eyes that seemed to take everything in.

"Good Evening Mrs. Swiler. I am Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I believe you received my owl earlier today?" He smiled waiting for Mrs. Swiler to invite him in.

"Yes Headmaster, however, my husband and I have decided not to send Elizabeth at this time. She is being home schooled." She started to close the door but stopped when he put one foot into the foyer.

"I see, perhaps I can talk to Mr. Swiler?"

"He is readying to go out this evening."

"Oh, then I caught him just in time," Headmaster Dumbledore laughed as he gently pushed Mrs. Swiler aside and walked the rest of the way into the hallway.

"Hagrid, would you be so kind as to wait for me out here? We do not want to appear to impose." He spoke softly, and just loud enough to let Mrs. Gilstone know that the half giant awaited him on her front porch.

"Listen Headmaster," she said, "I am sure there is nothing I can do for you…,"

"Oh, Just a spot of tea would be lovely." Headmaster Dumbledore smiled sweetly.

"Hera!" Mrs. Swiler called two seconds before a house elf appeared.

"Tea, parlor, now," she hissed at the elf before it winked out, and then led Headmaster Dumbledore to a set of double doors off the main entrance, which she pushed open angrily.

Elizabeth stood quietly in the small cupboard under the stairs listening until she heard the door close. She shut her eyes and clasped her hands together, praying to the Headmaster, and to whatever gods listened to little girls, that she would be able to go to school.

"Please?" she whispered repeatedly, "I will be good, I will be really, really good."

She did not hear anything more from her hiding place, and hoped that was a good sign. She heard no angry voices, no shouting, but she knew her parents would say no. She wished that the Headmaster could change their minds, believing he might be able to if she just wished hard enough.

Elizabeth had an idea. In hindsight, it was not a good idea, but it was all she could think of at the time. All she knew was that she had but one hope, and he was sitting in the parlor having tea. She needed to talk to him, she needed to plea, to beg, to do anything she could. Thoughts of punishment never entered her head, as she opened the cupboard doors and stepped out into the light, before all but flying down the hallway. Running to the double doors and yanking them open, she sprinted inside and stopped.

There he was, sitting, and in the process of accepting a cup of tea from her mother's right hand, her left still hovering in the air above it. He smiled upon seeing her, a look of pure and honest joy on his face.

"Ah, and here is the young lady herself. I was hoping we would meet you." He placed his teacup down on the small cherry wood table in front of him, opening his arms to her.

She did not expect this welcome. She saw his arms open and ran, falling into his arms crying, "Please, Please Sir, Please."

As she clung to him, she felt at home for the first time in her short life. She had never felt someone hug her because he wanted her. She never felt someone stroke her back and make shushing sounds. Never had she felt accepted and wanted. Never had she felt loved. The only thing she could say was, "Please, take me with you, please."

"It would appear that you have indeed heard of our fine school my dear." Headmaster Dumbledore looked over his half rimmed spectacles with his eyes shining.

Turning toward the cold couple sitting across from him, he smiled broadly. "Such a delightful child, perhaps I should just take her along with me now. I will spare you the trouble of bringing her later. Why, Hagrid could see to her shopping for school supplies."

He peered at the couple intently, waiting. In years to come, when Elizabeth looked back trying to find the one moment, the one true moment when her life's path had been laid out, she would choose this as that defining moment. Although most would not agree with her, she knew it to be true.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

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_**This chapter involves molestation of a child. Although the idea is disturbing, it is needed to set up the story. I believe I have kept it to a minimum but if it offends you please skip this chapter and proceed to chapter three. That is why I am posting them at the same time**_.

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**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Two**

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Albus Dumbledore had gone back to Hogwarts empty handed.

Later that night standing outside of the Malfoy Estate, her stepfather glared down at her, still angry with her for daring to approach Dumbledore, daring to beg in front of a stranger, and furious at her for making him late. The only reason he had not beaten her was the fresh marks it would leave. She had enough old marks and scars already. He did not want the Death Eaters to refuse her; he would be embarrassed and would risk losing the favour he hoped to gain.

Lucius had charmed the front doors to open to invited guests. A small house elf waited to take their cloaks, draping them carefully over his left arm, bowing deeply as he waved to the ballroom with a sweeping gesture.

"They is waiting for you in the Ballroom."

Harold Swiler leaned down to his stepdaughter, hissing in her ear, "If you want to get out of here you will do as you are told. Your training starts tonight girl, enjoy it. If you embarrass me in front of Malfoy and it gets back to the Dark Lord there will be hell to pay."

"Well, well, well," said a tall, handsome young wizard with silver blond hair. "I was expecting you an hour ago. I knew you would not disappoint me." He finished greeting Harold then looked down at Elizabeth.

"This must be your daughter, the one you owled me about. Starting her a bit young are you not?"

Lucius took the girl by her shoulders, turning her in a complete circle, looking at her from head to foot. When she was back to her original position, he ran his hand down to her chest. Then with a smirk, he felt her small budding breasts, giving them a hard squeeze.

She was horrified that her stepfather just stood there. Jerking away from Lucius' hand, she spun and tried to break free only to feel his free hand strike her across the face. She heard Harold chuckle at her reaction, and stilled at once knowing that his laughter came first, and then his blows.

Next, Lucius lifted her dress, pulled her knickers away from her body, leaned down and took a long look.

Elizabeth was shaking in fear and humiliation, blinking to hold her tears back and trying to move away but was stopped by her stepfather's hand firmly placed in the middle of her back. Lucius merely chuckled, and leaned into her ear.

"Oh yes, little one, be scared, be very scared." He pulled back up laughing.

"I don't know Harold, I do like them young, but for training they should at least look like a female, not a young boy." Lucius laughed. "However, the Dark Lord will be pleased with your loyalty since you have no son to offer to the cause. When he returns, as we know he will, he will be most pleased."

"She started her monthly last February. She may not look it but she is old enough. I hope to have grandsons to offer to the Lord when he returns."

"Since I am your host for the evening, perhaps I will do the honour regardless of her youth. It has been a while since I have enjoyed the wiles of such a young witch, since my days at Hogwarts if truth be told." The blond wizard let his eyes run over her body again and shook his head. "I just wish there were more to her."

"Girl," Harold snapped, "this is your host, Lucius Malfoy, he will be in the inner circle. He will, shall we say, begin your training this evening."

Lucius took her firmly by the elbow, holding her tightly as she twisted, trying to get free.

"I think we will retire to a less public place." He smirked. "Although I do enjoy a crowd and would not mind using that table over there, for one so young I have other plans. How long will she be with me?"

"I am sorry friend, but I have use for her at home, this evening has to be enough, unless you want to contract for her. Say in a couple of hours?" Harold replied smiling at the son of his once friend.

"Fine, fine, plenty of time, for starters." Lucius grinned then turned and started down the hall all but dragging Elizabeth after him.

"Oh, and Harold, I will have need of her for training every night this week." He continued smiling arrogantly as Elizabeth dragged her heels on the floor and tried to pull out of his grip.

At the end of the hall, there was a flight of steps going up, leading to the upper bedrooms. The second set, the stairs going down to the dungeons, were the ones that Lucius preferred. It was this second set of stairs that Elizabeth found herself being dragged down. She used her free hand to grab at the railing, only to feel Lucius' blows as he struck her, trying to make her let go. She held on until his fingers pried hers away, and then he shoved her down the last few steps causing her to fall on the stone floor.

Still dragging the girl, Lucius decided which room he would use. He did not plan to break the girl. Just show her what a wizard in could do, and what to expect in the future. He finally stopped in front of one of the doors and looked down at the girl still in his grasp.

"Do you know what we are about to do girl?" he asked.

"No, Sir," Elizabeth answered, still fighting and trying to twist away.

"You are to be prepared," he laughed as he flung open the door. "Just think of tonight as your sorting."

The room's only piece of furniture, if you could call it that, was a large table like structure that had large square poles at the corners that extended to the ceiling. Fixed into these poles were large eyebolts threaded with chains. At the end of the chains were manacles. Seeing the manacles she screamed and pulled back even harder, wanting to get away no matter how hard her stepfather would beat her. Pushing her into the room, he closed and warded the door behind them.

"How old are you girl?" he asked.

"Eleven, Eleven last month," she answered meekly, afraid to look to him.

Cupping her face in his hands, he crushed his lips to hers. Finding no response, he pulled back and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Is something wrong girl?" he grinned into her innocent eyes.

Her face was red, her eyes round, fear showing clearly. Her body trembled under his hands, her breath hitched in her chest as her fisted hands pushed against him.

"Wh… What are you doing?"

"Why my dear, I am training you for a wife's duty. Did your stepfather not tell you?"

"No sir, that is… he said training, but I …," she stammered.

"Yes?" He purred. "We must start at the beginning, and the beginning is learning that you will submit to whatever I say."

Tears ran from her eyes as she closed them tightly, her breath still catching in her chest as she tried not to cry aloud.

"Please Sir, please don't," she said into his lips.

"Open your mouth, I want to taste you," he sneered as she shook her head and clamped her mouth shut.

The back of his hand moved quickly. Faster than she thought possible, faster than her stepfather's hand. The pain was immediate and stinging. She opened her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. She allowed his tongue to touch hers, to move further on, feeling him lick the top of her mouth, suck on her tongue. She fought the gags that threatened to choke her, and then turned to retch on the floor.

"I will save that part of the training for later. Tonight we work on submission. You will learn to love the whip. Are you ready for school?" He laughed again, although he looked at her in disgust. "You look like a fish. Close your mouth and stop that howling."

"Sir? Please, don't sir, I'll be good sir. Please?" she begged, her tears blinding her, running down her face, mixing with fluid leaking from her nose, and making it down her chin. "Please sir… Don't do this."

Pushing her down on the floor, he pulled out his wand to enlarge the whip he carried in his breast pocket. Turning to her, he announced he was ready. Tonight he would teach her submission. He would whip her until she quit fighting, and then would whip her again. Tomorrow night he would take her when most of the fight had gone out of her, leaving her lying submissive and ready.

In the Ballroom Harold Swiler stood at the back, lounging against the wall. He was in deep conversation with the very young man that was to be the newest potions professor at Hogwarts. They all knew that Severus Snape was neck and neck with Lucius Malfoy for the honour of the best of the new breed of Death Eater. Snape was cold and cruel, and furiously loyal to the cause.

Complaining about the Headmaster's visit earlier that evening, he was glad to have the ear of the one who appeared to be potentially the Dark Lord's newest right hand man. He let Snape know clearly that he had sent Dumbledore out of his house for the second year in a row. He hoped that Severus would repeat the tale in time to the Dark Lord. He may be able to gain more respect if the Lord knew how he had treated the blood traitor Dumbledore. Between Severus and Lucius, he felt his new position would be secure, and he hoped one of these two would be the girl's betrothed.

He was surprised when he saw Lucius striding toward him without the girl after less than two hours.

"Hello Lucius, I hope all went well," he smiled but looked around darkly for Elizabeth.

"Oh yes Harold, of course we will need more lessons, many more lessons. I am afraid she will be a slow learner. All we got to tonight was learning to be submissive," he laughed.

"You may be interested Severus." Lucius smiled at the potions professor." She still needs several lessons. Perhaps you can assist me in the deflowering. Perhaps you were hoping for a different girl? We could find one for you as well, make it a foursome?"

Severus's face darkened. "You know I do not take part in girls young enough to be a student of mine. What if she recognizes me? Do you think the Dark Lord would want my cover blown for a piece of trim?"

"There is no chance of that Severus," Harold responded. "She is not a student, and there are no plans to make her one."

"Come Severus, I only had to punish her couple of times. Tomorrow night will be where the fun starts," Lucius said remembering the scars and welts visible on the young witch's back, arms, and legs. "And you don't have to worry about being gentle from what I have seen. I want to go slow and do this one right. You are welcomed to help me."

"I will make sure she does not disobey you again. Perhaps she will be in need of _homework,_" Harold chuckled.

"I have far more pressing things to attend to," Severus sneered.

"Perhaps, perhaps you are right." Lucius smirked at Harold. "Anyway, your student awaits you in the entry hall Harold. I did not want the others to see what we were up to until she is fully trained."

Harold found Elizabeth in the front hall as promised. Her hair falling onto her tear-streaked face, the left cheek swollen, one eye nearly shut. The dress she had worn was beyond repair. He lifted her skirt to see if blood coated her thighs, he wanted to know how far they had progressed. He angered when he did not see the evidence the wanted.

"Well, girl," he crooned, "did you enjoy your schooling?"

"No Sir," she said, scrubbing her eyes with her fists.

"This is the only kind of schooling you will ever get." He laughed as he opened the door and pushed her out. "I was speaking to one of Dumbledore's professors, perhaps he will help in your instruction, and you can see what you are missing."

Grabbing her by both arms, he pulled her close as he angrily whispered, "I will teach you to disrespect the Malfoy's. I will teach you wifely duties. I will not have you go about bringing shame to our house."

"Please, don't," she sobbed. "He beat me, he used a whip."

"You have to learn to obey first. Then the real training will start." He slapped her face, and grabbed her arm dragging her to the gate.

He turned and pulled her by the hair, holding her close as they apparated home. Landing hard, she stumbled and fell to her knees. Then yanking her up, he dragged her up the walk and into the entry hall.

"Turn around and hold on to that table." He yelled as he tore his belt out of the loops on his silk trousers. She did as she was told, mutely waiting for the belt to fall in blows to her back. He pulled her hips back from the table, at the same time pushing her head down to the top. Expecting a beating, she heard his zipper come down instead, and then felt her dress ripped off from behind.

This time she knew what was happening. She knew what he planned on doing. Lucius had gone into detail of what else he planned on doing to her, she knew what was about to happen. She was scared, she was shaking, and she fought not to vomit. Waiting until she could not feel his hands on her, knowing from her time with Lucius that it would take just a moment for him to free himself, as Lucius had done as he beat her, she waited then… ran.

Elizabeth could not think beyond making it to the safety of her room. She knew not to run to her mother. Her mother would not help her. She knew she could not make it outside. The wards set up on the house did not allow her or her mother to leave without permission. She just ran to the only place she knew. Her room. She ran taking the steps two at a time, and holding her breath, she ran when she was unable to see the floor through her tears, and she ran hearing him bellow for her from the steps as he started up.

Yelling with rage, his eyes red from firewhiskey and anger, Harold was just behind her. He closed in on her and had almost caught her when her bedroom door slammed in his face. Elizabeth leapt over the narrow bed, groping in the dark for her wand; her stepfather was now in the room approaching her. He came around the bed holding his erection.

Raising her wand, gritting her teeth, she shouted the only spell she could think of to keep him away. A spell she had only heard of through the grate in the floor, but had never seen executed. It was the only spell she knew would stop him. Pointing her wand with a trembling hand she poured her soul into the command as she shouted,

"Avada Kedavra!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I still own nothing**

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**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Three**

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Severus Snape, Professor of Potions, sat before a roaring fire sipping a nearly full glass of firewhiskey. This was his second glass of the evening. He had just returned from one of the so called Dark Lord's Revels. How he hated those affairs, full of pure blood wizards and old name families, vying for attention and status, looking to Lucius for recognition and advancement.

He knew that Albus Dumbledore awaited him. He also knew that he needed to calm his temper before seeing him least he say something unintended. Throwing a handful of floo powder into the fireplace, he lowered to his knees and stuck in his head.

"Headmaster?"

"Severus, so I see you are back." The headmaster's eyes were full of concern. "I am glad not to visit you in the hospital wing this time."

"Headmaster, I ask you to wait a few minutes, I need to shower and change before going over this evening again," the Potions Master sighed.

"Of course, take your time. I have a bit of work to finish up. Shall we say in half an hour?" He smiled kindly.

"Thank you, Headmaster." Severus stood with his shoulders slumped and headed for his shower.

"Yeah," he muttered, "take your time but be here in thirty minutes."

When he had showed and changed to fresh clothing, the old ones smelling of drink and smoke from the revel, he flooed to the Headmaster's office.

"Well, Severus?" Albus began.

"It was another one of Malfoy's Revels. He claims the Dark Lord ordered it. The rumours out there appear to be true Albus. I think he is trying to get back but no one is talking about how. Nevertheless, this Revel had nothing Dark Lord about it. No news, no orders, no updates, no plans. Malfoy was just looking for a piece of trim." Severus spat with disgust.

"How many…" Albus started.

"Two," he answered. "One muggle, about 16 years old. I never got close enough to get her name. The other, a squib last name Benningan, first name Mandy, so it may be Amanda. Wasn't there a Julie Benningan a couple of year ahead of me? Could be related. You should be able to get the first name from the Ministry in any event. Perhaps their connections with the Muggle law enforcement can match missing persons for the Muggle."

"Where?" Albus began again, not needing to finish the question.

"Hyde Park, near that fairy statue, why all the way to London I have no idea, nor do I care." Severus scowled. "There may be another body, I don't know. Lucius claims she is alive… but look for three. All I know is that Lucius was kept occupied for a time. He didn't ask for a clean up crew, but I cannot be sure about him. Her last name would be Gil… something, father's … or step-father…first name Harold, there is a Harold Swiler, that may be him, I was honoured with his conversation this evening. He brought his own stepdaughter for Lucius, Albus, his own daughter." He sneered, and felt like vomiting the firewhiskey into Albus' wastebasket.

"It is my fault," Albus leaned back in his chair and lowered his head until his chin rested on his chest. "Her name is Elizabeth Gilstone, step-daughter to Harold. Severus, her home life is beyond cruel. Twice I have attempted to have them release her to me and twice I have failed. There are no laws that allow interference and I am beside myself seeing only her life in the future."

A tapping came to the window to Severus's right. He looked at it with a lifted eyebrow.

"Expecting something Headmaster? Rather late for mail," he sneered as he opened the window allowing a large white owl to fly over to Albus' desk.

With his brow wrinkled in confusion, Albus untied the parchment, offered the owl a treat and turned to Severus.

"From the Ministry," he said.

"Perhaps they have found what you were about to ask about." Severus puzzled, knowing it would be too soon for even the Muggle law enforcement to have found the bodies.

Albus read the parchment as Severus closed the window after the owl's exit, and allowed him some time for his thoughts.

"It seems I am needed at the Ministry immediately. They have a minor, a child, in custody. An eleven-year-old girl." Albus reread the note before passing it over to Severus.

"Headmaster, it is 3:30am. What crime could an eleven year old commit at this time?" he asked, "Perhaps some dunderhead at the Ministry thinks breaking parental curfew is worth more than our sleep. I should start deducting house points for aspiring to work for the Ministry."

"Now Severus, this appears serious. You have been with me, for what? Three years now if I recall, you should know that problems, like babies, come in the middle of the night."

"And I suppose that they are not sending an escort for you? You know it is not safe to go by yourself in these times," Severus sneered, raising an eyebrow. "So I am led to believe that this will be yet another sleepless night."

"Yes my boy, it would appear so for both of us." Albus rose and waked to the fireplace. "Care to join me Severus?"

"Do I have a choice?" Professor Snape sighed knowing he had none. Stepping into the fireplace with the Headmaster they both disappeared in a flash of green.

After arriving at the Ministry of Magic, checking their wands, and passing endless security checks they were at last in the Juvenile Department. A young woman, who appeared to shop for clothes at the same store that Molly Weasley used, greeted them with a grim look on her face. She looked like she had been pulled from bed for this investigation, and was not happy about it.

"Albus, I am so glad you could come. I am at a loss. Never, never have I encountered something as vile as this." She sadly shook her head and dabbed her handkerchief to her eyes.

"Now Sally, I am sure we can work something out here. Let me introduce my Potions Master, Professor Severus Snape. He also works in the capacity of Head of House. I thought he might be useful with his background in dealing with first years." Albus smiled sweetly. "Severus, this is Sally Newcomb. She attended Hogwarts about the same time as you. When you were Fifth Year I believe she was Seventh."

"And this is relevant how?" the Professor sneered.

"So Sally, can you explain to me what you think happened before we go into see the poor girl?"

"She cast the killing curse. She killed her step-father." Sally stated flatly.

"She what?" Severus hissed, thinking he had not heard correctly.

"You heard me," she sadly shook her head. "What do we do? We have never had a child sent to Azkaban. Yet, the only punishment on the books is just that. Where did she learn this Albus? Where did she get a wand? She isn't registered and is home schooled. How did she summon enough magic to perform that curse? Where did the anger come from?"

"How can I help Sally?" Albus asked kindly.

"She needs a representative, Headmaster. She needs someone to explain things to her. She is alone. She does not seem to understand what can happen. I thought that since she should be in Hogwarts… maybe… I don't know sir, I just thought you could help."

"Surely her Mother is with her," Severus offered.

"One would think, but no. Her Mother wants nothing to do with her. She told the Aurors that she no longer has a daughter. She wants to go through with formal disinheritance. It is a pure blood family."

"We need to talk to the child, can you arrange that?" Albus questioned.

"Yes, I have her right through the back door." She nodded to a small opening at the far end of her office.

"I had no place to put her and I didn't want her in with the other prisoners." She sighed loudly and ran her fingers though her hair. "What are we to do?"

Albus and Severus were about to enter the room off of Sally's office when a small sound came to them. Albus raised his eyebrows as he recognized the small voice.

"Please, please, please," the voice, sobbed repeatedly. "Don't send me back, don't send me back."

"Elizabeth Gilstone?" Headmaster Dumbledore for the second time within 24 hours opened his arms as the girl rushed into them.

"Please Sir, don't let them send me back, please don't let them send me back. Please, please, please." She sobbed, raising her chin but not allowing her eyes to meet his.

"Back where child?" Albus crooned. "No one is going to send you home. I am afraid that you may never be able to go home."

"No, to the Malfoy's, Sir." She sobbed louder, her voice hitching as tears ran down her face, and she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"Mother said she was going to send me to Lucius. She said that since he had started training me he could finish me. She said she would disinherit me then sell me to him. Please, please, please, don't send me back," she wailed and hung onto his robes.

"Child," Severus's voice was harsh, "Was your stepfather's first name Harold?"

"Yes," she said, trying not to cry, only succeeding in hiccupping the answer into Albus' chest, not looking at the Professor.

"You were with him tonight at the Malfoy Estate. Is that correct?" he hissed.

"Yes." She hiccupped. "I didn't want to, really, truly, my best promise, all my books if I am lying, promise, he made me go he did, he really really did." She begged that someone believe her as she clung to the Headmaster's robes as if drowning.

"And pray tell, was there more _training _when he got you home?" he sneered.

"He… he was going to … going to… I thought just a beating. I was bad he said. But then he…. my dress…he …" She turned red and looked up to the Headmaster's face. "Do I have to say it out loud?"

Severus turned on his heel going to the door and roaring. "Ms Newcomb, come here!"

"Yes Professor?" She hesitated to enter the room.

"What by Merlin were you thinking? On the other hand, indeed, were you thinking? This girl, this child, this… this … innocent, was protecting herself. She was at a Dark Revel, she has been abused, she has been used for Merlin only knows what … and you dare, you _dare_ to arrest her. How dare you?!" he thundered.

"I cannot just ignore the fact that she cast the killing curse, with an illegal wand, underage for the use of magic, and the fact that she has been cast out by her mother," Sally said firmly standing as tall as her 5ft 2 frame would allow.

"What in Merlin's name do you plan on doing?" he yelled at her.

"If you have any ideas I am sure you will let me know," she growled back at him.

"Ideas?" he yelled, "How about arresting Lucius Malfoy as a paedophile? How about arresting him for molesting and raping children? How about finding and defeating the Dark Lord? I assure you, he is out there. How about looking at her step-father's arm? I am sure you will find a mark, you know _the_ mark? You work at the fucking Ministry, surely you know what to look for. How about awarding her the Order of Merlin for bringing down a Death Eater? An eleven-year-old, not even in school, with enough rage and sheer fear to bring down a Death Eater. Bloody Hell witch, praise her for doing more good than your own have done these many years."

Running a hand through his hair, he glared at Albus.

"Severus?" Albus questioned.

"She was the one Lucius had. Albus you were right, she was the one." He lowered his eyes unable to look at the girl.

"Get her a home, make sure it is safe. Take away her wand. Hell, I don't care, take away her magic until she starts school. Just protect her," he roared at the top of his voice. "She needs to be hidden. She needs to be cared for. What do these people have children for anyway? They have to be licensed to raise Slake Weed, for Merlin's sake, but anyone is allowed a child."

"Severus?" Albus looked at the wizard. "It will not do anyone any good if you lose control. I suggest you wait outside while we try to come up with an answer."

"You Albus," Snape looked at the Headmaster coldly, "Have never seen me lose control. And, it would be wise to never do so."

With robes billowing behind him, he left to the outer office. He wanted to go to Malfoy's and drag him out of bed. He wanted to find the same whip that left the marks he could see on the girl and he wanted to _train _Lucius as he had trained the girl. He wanted to end it all now and deal with the Dark Lord later, but knew that was impossible.

Severus paced while Albus and Sally went over the details of the case. He could not fathom how this small slip of a girl could kill such a wizard as Harold Swiler. He did not understand how she even knew the killing curse. What he did know, was that as far as he was concerned, she had every right to do so.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Four**

* * *

**12 Years Later**

* * *

Severus Snape walked briskly through the streets of Hogsmeade. Summer break had begun two days previously and he was anxiously looking forward to his summer at Spinner's End, away from his dungeon prison. All he had to do was complete the potions that Poppy, Hogwarts' Medi-Witch had requested, and then he was free to leave, free from his warden, free from the oath that held him there for a few short months.

He picked up the ingredients he needed, and decided to stop in at The Three Broomsticks for a quick lunch. He had missed the midday meal at the school and did not care to eat alone in the dungeons. Stepping into the dark establishment, he stopped for a moment to allow his eyes to adjust. Thinking that the dungeons offered more charm than the place he was in, he made his way over to a small table at the back. Once he was seated, he ordered lunch, leaning back impatiently to wait.

"Well, well, Severus." Albus all but glowed as he walked to his table. "Never thought to run into you today,"

"Headmaster, I know I will be sorry for asking, but what can I do for you today?" Severus questioned knowing that if the Headmaster had hunted him down it would not be good.

"Now, now my boy…," he began.

"My boy? This one had better be good. Whenever you call me that it is followed by a rather infringing request."

"I would never dream of infringing on your upcoming holiday. You are entitled to your time." Albus smiled benignly.

"Oh wait," Severus groaned. "Here it comes, I feel it. Isn't it enough I give you my life?"

"I just wanted to mention, that if you happen to have some free time this summer, out there in the Muggle world of Spinner's End, you may have time for a little research?"

"The Muggle world of Spinner's End? I take it you want something no one else is willing to get?" Severus questioned with one eyebrow rising.

Using wandless magic Albus cast a silencing spell around the table. Looking around the Three Broomsticks and seeing only customers he knew were loyal to the Order, or that he could trust, he turned to Severus.

"We have reason to believe that something of Tom's has been hidden in a Muggle cathedral, or graveyard. However, we do believe it to be in a cathedral. The only clue that we have is that it is a Christian like tomb, that there is a large carving over it, and that the carving is in the appearance of a Snake. Since you have lived as a Muggle, I thought you could help." Albus explained.

"A Snake, on a Christian tomb?" Severus repeated thinking that Albus had gone mad. "Perhaps you misunderstood. I can see a painting, or some other design, depicting the serpent they give some credit to in their early writings, but a statue of a snake?"

"A charmed carving Severus, it would not appear as a snake to a Muggle, nor would its true form show in a muggle photograph. I know it is highly unlikely that you will find what we are looking for, all I ask is that you try. I have others in the search a well, however with your background in their world I hoped you would agree to help as well"

"What does this statue appear to Muggles as?"

"Why, an angel of course," Albus sighed, waving off Severus' protest. "It seems a prophecy has been given concerning a winged angel and Tom's re-emergence. I do not give much credence to the prophecy. However this one seems to have come from a trustworthy source."

"A prophecy," Severus sneered. "Do tell. What was the whole prophecy?"

"_He who will not be named, but called anew, will rise under the winged one that guards the tomb being the serpent of death_."

"From that you get a white marble angel in a Christian Cathedral, of course Albus, and I would not guess there would be many of those around. Just a few thousand to examine in my free time. I assume this is the romantic Angel? White flowing robes, wings and a halo?"

"Why of course Severus. Why would a Muggle picture an old man in dusty robes just because that is what their text describes?" He chuckled. "They prefer to rewrite their text books to see what they want."

"May the Saints of Muggles save me," Severus muttered. "How you came up with this idea, from that half baked prophecy is beyond me, but then again I do not have your inane hope that all things are as simple as they seem."

Later in his chambers, he was packing a few belongings that he thought he may need over the summer. If he forgot something, he could floo back for it without anyone knowing. He kept a couple of extra robes at Spinner's End, and his old muggle clothing as well.

He grabbed a book, _Symbols Through the Ages_, thinking it may come in handy for the search, a couple of potion books he had put off reading and a couple of books by muggle authors he thought looked interesting. With a glance around, he moved to the fireplace, and took a handful of floo powder. Stepping into the fireplace, he threw it down and called out Spinner's End.

He emerged in his old home, located in a run down area not quite muggle, not quite wizard. It was the type of area that no one really paid much attention to or cared what the neighbours did. The wizard houses may not have had electricity, but half the muggles did without as well. It was a bill to pay, and one of the first to let go when times got rough. At Spinner's End, times were always rough, always dark, and always dangerous. It was a place wizards could, and did hide, and a place not frequented by pure-bloods.

Severus spent the first days cleaning, stocking the cupboards, tending the small garden outside his back door, and checking, resetting, and testing his wards. No one else was able to floo in, and the strong anti-apparition wards insured no one could merely pop in. He did not want Death Eaters dropping by for a friendly chat by the fireside, nor did he want to waste his firewhiskey on them.

Sighing he knew he needed to spend a few hours on Albus' foolish task. He needed to bring something to the Order meeting in three days time, even if it was news that he hadn't found anything, as it surely would be.

The only old Cathedrals he was familiar with were Winchester, Canterbury, and Westminster as it was these three his mother had dragged him to in an effort to teach him more history than she knew. Since he was by large unfamiliar with the religious sites of Muggle England, he decided he might as well start with these three, make a report and be done with the search.

He apparated to a small covered parking lot next to a hotel. Looking around, he quickly started across the grounds to the main entrance of Winchester Cathedral. Rolling his eyes at the number of tourists in blue jeans and white trainers, he walked through the vast building peering into dark corners and looking for anything resembling a Snake or a Muggle statue that could be obscuring one.

The reconstruction on the flooded lower levels was still ongoing, and made his inspection of them impossible. However, he did not think he would find a fine sculptured statue hidden underground and standing in stagnant water. He picked up a small booklet on the history of Winchester in case he needed to look for clues in the dates of construction, or the status of the underground repairs, and headed back to the hotel's second floor restaurant for lunch.

After eating, he headed back to Spinner's End, reading for a while before fixing a simple dinner and climbing into bed hoping for a dreamless sleep. Too soon morning came with overcast skies that threatened rain, destroying his plans of finishing his work in the back yard.

_Wonderf_u_l_, he thought bleakly, _nice way to start __a__ holiday_. He made the decision that he may as well spend another day on research for Albus. He set off for Canterbury since he could not enjoy the out of doors, nor plant the seeds that he had brought from Hogwarts, wanting to start his own ingredients garden.

Arriving behind the temporary public loos in a crack of thunder, he cursed himself for not placing a silencing spell before he realized that the thunder was in fact coming from overhead. As he hurried to the winding pavement that would take him to the main entrance, he pulled his jacket closed and bent his head to the wind, hoping to make it to the doors before the storm broke overhead. Looking up at the Cathedral, he did not notice the woman that stepped onto the pavement ahead of him, moving slowly, until he knocked into her and sent her sprawling to the ground. He muttered apologies as he attempted to help her up, just as the rain started.

"I did not realize anyone could move so slowly in an impending downpour," he snarled and reached down for her elbow. Seeing a moment too late that the small woman was reaching for a cane like walking aide, he rolled his eyes as he tried to remove his foot from his mouth.

"Do excuse my behavior, I am not in the habit of knocking invalids over, nor am I in the habit of making light of their disabilities." He knew the moment the words were out of his mouth that two feet could indeed fit. Hell, he knew it before the words were out, he just could not stop them.

Helping her to stand he bent down to retrieve her three-pronged walking stick. Handing it to her, he looked at her face for the first time.

She was shorter than he, most witches were, however she stood straight under his glare. Dark Auburn hair cut short, chin length, slightly shorter at the back allowing the sides to sweep forward to frame a face consisting of cold green eyes, a small upturned nose, and lips that he kept looking at. Colour came to his cheeks as he glanced around, thinking of what he should do.

He was in the pouring rain, standing with a young Muggle woman, her knees and hands scraped, her clothing soaked, and her belongings scattered. It was his fault. He could not use his magic to dry her, and he had already called her a cripple. Things were going fine so far.

"Sir," she pulled her arms from his. "I will thank you kindly to retrieve my belongings from the ground and unhand me," she scowled not meeting his eyes.

He could feel her anger and fear roll off her in waves, and he immediately let her go. As he bent to retrieve the items still scattered on the ground, he watched her from the corner of his eye. She slid her arm into a circular attachment at the top of the odd-looking cane, grasped the handle, and sighed in relief as her weight transferred from her right leg to her arm. Rotating her neck, she seemed to relax finding no more than the usual amount of discomfort.

"You were injured," Severus said.

"What do you think?" she snapped.

"I did not mean your leg woman, I was speaking of your knees, your hands, and from the way you are moving no doubt your neck or back," he hissed at her.

"Why are you talking to me like this? You pushed _me _down. If I am that much of an inconvenience just keep on walking. I can take care of myself, always have, always will," she spoke with clenched teeth, staring at his chest.

Severus ran his long figures through his lank hair, and sighed. "I am not a very kind person, as you no doubt have noticed. I have little experience in this sort of thing and have absolutely no idea what I am doing. I do know that I will not leave you like this. So just close your mouth and allow me to assist you back to you pre-fall condition," he said as controlled as he could.

Looking down at her torn stockings, and bleeding knees he asked, "Do you live close by? I could send you home in a taxi?"

"No, I came in on the train. I am only here for couple of hours," she murmured, glancing around. "Perhaps you could find me a pub. I could use their facilities to wash up and rid myself of these ripped stockings. As for the wet clothes … well, it is raining. I would have been wet regardless."

"Allow me." He nodded his agreement to the plan, and took her left elbow gently.

"I need directions to a pub, not your help and I do not need help walking. I can do that quite well on my own." She lifted her chin stubbornly pulling her arm roughly from his.

"Yes, I am sure you can, however, I am not used to walking next to a wi… woman without holding her arm. It is only proper. I am sorry to offend you such. However," he again grabbed her elbow, "you will allow me this courtesy." He gritted his teeth waiting for her refusal.

When none came, he turned in the direction of the street, his eyes searching for some sort of eatery that would do. Across the street and about three doors up, he saw what he was looking for, all thought of white marble angels gone from his mind as he took her wet books from her, grabbed her arm roughly and walked toward the pub.

Albus would pay for his he thought. Yes, Albus would pay.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so here are the first four chapters of the story. If you read the original posting, or are new to this story, I would appreciate your feed back... thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Once inside he gained directions to the loo. Walking her as far as the facilities door, he nodded politely, and turned to find a table. Due to the early hour, the rain, and it being midweek they appeared to have the eatery to themselves. Signalling to the wait staff, Severus ordered two cups of tea, and biscuits. He was thankful that things seemed to be moving along. He was only a cup of tea away from a day of solitude.

Looking up at the soft sound of her shoes, and the odd three-footed sound of her walk he gazed at the woman. Her hair hung straighter than it had. Obviously, she had spent some of her time brushing the thick locks down. She wore no make up, which was uncommon in the Muggle world, nor had she worn any prior to her mishap he now remembered.

The wet dress hung nicely on her body, reaching down to her knees. Her shoes were the type that sensible librarians would wear, and even though they were unattractive and unflattering, he thought it nice not to see those god-awful white trainers the tourists favoured. He thought she wore them because of her walking difficulties and thought how nice a pair of black heels would look on her.

What held his attention was the way she walked. Her back straight, her uplifted chin and the way she carried herself with assurance and fluidity mostly overcoming her odd gait, which he attributed to the three-pronged cane, more than her leg. The slight off balance step only seemed to accent her hips. He felt relieved to see the mere Muggle making such a fast recovery, he was fast becoming uncomfortable with her company and the feelings she was awakening in him.

Her brow knitted together as she glanced at the tea and biscuits, then gracefully sitting she shrugged off her odd walking stick and faced Severus.

"You need not feel obligated to buy my tea, I am quite capable of paying my own way."

"I am in need of a cup of tea. I have no plans of pouring it down your throat, but I do plan on paying for it," he hissed. "Now, if you will please just manage to be pleasant until the rain has stopped we can be done with one another."

Picking up her cup, not adding milk or sugar, she took a small sip. With a grimace, she replaced the cup on its saucer and reached for a biscuit.

"So, what is your name?" she asked, picking up the milk.

"Tobias, Tobias Prince," he lied smoothly, keeping his story close enough to the truth not to trip up on his lies.

"Beth, Beth Stone," she smiled thinly, holding out her hand.

"Miss. Stone, or do you prefer Ms?" he tried not to sneer as he folded his arms without accepting her hand.

"I hope you forgive me when I say you have been most rude. I have little experience with accepting help or kindness from others, however, I do thank you. I do not appreciate your treating me as if this was my fault, nor do I find your presence a comfort. If you prefer to leave, do so."

Severus looked at her coldly. He did not have much experience with Muggles, Muggle women even less, but the audacity of her to correct him struck a cord. He nodded, accepting her criticism but at the same time he wondered why he had.

"In case you have not noticed it is still raining." He calmly reached for his tea, choosing to ignore her comments.

The two of them exchanged polite small talk after that. Severus telling her that he was a science teacher in a private boarding school. Beth telling him that she was a clerk in a small London tourist shop.

"I am afraid it will only last the summer, and then I will be out again," she sighed. "It seems I am always looking for work, or between apartments."

Severus had watched her finish off the last of the biscuits with relish, and then a third cup of tea. Wondering if she was indeed hungry, he started to ask her if she would join him for lunch later in the day only to stop and clench his jaw shut.

"Oh, it has stopped raining. I guess it is time to be off," Beth said, looking out of the window.

He walked her out to the pavement, handing her the items he still carried for her. Then not knowing why, or thinking of a reason he just knew he wanted to see her again. "Miss Stone?"

"Yes, Mr. Prince?"

"If you are free later this evening perhaps you will join me for dinner." He stood still, waiting for her refusal.

"That would nice, Mr. Prince, however, I am returning to London today. I had only hoped to visit the Cathedral."

Severus thought he heard a hint of regret in her voice. Regret for not being available for dinner, or as he suspected for not getting to see the Cathedral, he was not sure.

"I myself plan on being in London in a couple of days. Perhaps you will join me? I can get in touch with you when I get in town, it is the least I can do for ruining you…clothing." he queried, not able to stop.

"Ummm," she stammered looking at the ground, "I am not quite sure if I will be free."

"That is fine, Ms Stone. Perhaps another time." He was not surprised by her refusal, only at the disappointed that he felt. He prepared to offer a slight bow and take his leave when he felt her hand on his arm.

"I, .. I am sorry. You see, I am between apartments so often that I have no phone. I could perhaps meet you someplace?" She whispered shyly. "Unless of course, you would rather forget it."

"No, that is fine. I will meet you in front of …Westminster at say….7 pm on Friday? I have work that will take me there."

"That would be fine. The Abby or the Cathedral?" She smiled up at him, not quite meeting his eyes.

"The what?" He stated flatly. This was the other shoe dropping he had been waiting for since Albus had sent him on his hunt. How was he to find something when he did not even know where he was looking?

"Well, make it the Abby. That is what most people think of when they hear Westminster anyway."

"Right, the Abby." He repeated to her, thinking her laughter was at his lack of knowledge, instead of her own happiness, he politely nodded.

He stood there until she was out of sight wondering what he had just done. He could just ignore the date, not show up at all. Date? He had made a date. He had made a date with a Muggle. He had made a date with a crippled, magic-less, badly dressed Muggle.

"Good Merlin," he said aloud as he watched her walk away.

"Albus?" Severus was on his knees at Spinners End, his head stuck into the fireplace. "Old man, for Merlin's sake, would you please listen to reason."

"And why would you think I would excuse you from the meeting tonight?" Albus frowned.

"I have no information to pass on, and you have nothing to tell the Order that I do not already know." he spat.

"And?" Albus asked.

"And? I have made plans," Severus sneered.

"Plans? And what plans would those be?" the Headmaster grinned at his Professors discomfort.

"Plans Albus. I have made plans with a … with a friend," he stammered.

"A friend, dear boy? Would this be in the line of a female friend?"

"I plan on getting information about various Cathedrals and Abbeys." Severus tried to regain his composure.

"I am sure she is better able to inform than any number of tourist booklets, or directories."

"You are a meddlesome old fool that I suffer only because of a vow I took in a moment of sheer stupidity. I am on holiday and plan on doing exactly as I like, with whom I like." Aware of the poor choice of words Severus cringed.

"Severus, enjoy your non-date, with your, shall we say, research assistant. Is that better my boy?" Albus smiled.

"Yes…No... Leave it alone old man," he stormed, pulling his head from the floo network and ending the connection.

_Damn that old man_, Severus thought as he stood and dusted off his knees.

Severus stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom. He was not sure how to dress for a Muggle date. He had been in the Wizarding world too long. He had seen the looks he got when he walked the pavement and knew something had to change.

"Millie," he called his house elf.

"Yes, Master Sir," she said with her nose close to the floor in a deep bow.

"I have need for Muggle attire. Nothing formal. Lay them out on my bed," he ordered.

"Master," Mille trembled, "which clothes would that be?"

The Potions Professor ran his long figures through his hair. In most situations, he was the man in charge. He could face a room of teenagers, send terror into the hearts of students, and see fear in the eye of Death Eaters as he entered the room. However, here, looking down at a mere house elf trembling in fear for not knowing any more than he, he was at loss.

"Fine Millie, just leave," he sighed.

He searched his cupboard and found clothes he had worn the last year he had lived in this world, clothes that now made him lift his lip. Wide legged trousers, and shirts that would no longer fit his chest and arms. He began to throw things onto the floor, remembering his past as he did. He found the suit he had worn to his mother's funeral. He hesitated for a moment, then it also joined the growing pile on the floor. When he was done he pulled his wand and reduced the discarded clothes to ash.

Transfiguring his trousers to a pair of black jeans, his shirt to a dark green turtle neck, he stood again in front of the mirror and tied back his hair with a strip of leather. Making sure his left forearm was covered to his wrist, he started out for the Abbey. It was 6:45. He did not want to be late, shopping would have to be put off until tomorrow.

As Professor of Potions, and feared Death Eater he was not one to wait.

He had thought of leaving when she had not appeared by 7:04.

By 7:10, he convinced himself that she could have had the common decency to let him know she would be late.

At 7:12, he was furious, telling himself he would wait just to tell her what an inconsiderate bint she was.

When 7:14 rolled around he knew she was not coming, had just told him she would dine with him out of some sort of misplaced kindness.

Still he waited.

It was 7:16 pm when he saw her. She was moving down the pavement with the same graceful carriage he had admired at their first meeting. He sighed in relief, not realizing how tense he had been until this moment. At 7:16, all he saw was her smile.

"Hello," she said slightly out of breath. "I decided to walk instead of using the train, it was further than I remembered. It took me a little longer than I thought it would. I hope you didn't wait long."

"No, it's fine. I was a couple of minutes late myself," he lied easily. "Now, since we are in your part of the world, where shall we go?"

"Well," she looked around. "There is a small pub across the street from Parliament, only a couple of blocks from here. I hear they have a good Shepherds pie."

They found the pub. It was located over one of the storefront shops. Beth's slow progress up the stairs made Severus wonder what her home life was like. Without the benefits of magic, it would be much harder for her, than for a witch.

"I didn't know it was upstairs," she said shyly, with a hint of embarrassment. "I am much faster going down."

They spent the rest of the evening talking of their likes and dislikes. Skirting any information about their childhoods or families, they spent an enjoyable mealtime, and stayed at the table long after their meal was finished.

Beth kept the conversation to London, and the things Severus could do here while on holiday. He was relieved at this. He had lived so long as a spy he knew that lies would only build on each other until they could no longer hold up the fabric of friendship. He had no plans to see this Muggle after his holiday, but knew the next few days could be difficult if she caught him early in a falsehood, or if he seemed too evasive in answering simple questions.

.

.

Beth had let out a sigh of relief when she had seen saw Tobias waiting for her at the Abby. She had been stood up before. She had expected to be again. He was not some stock boy she had met at work, or some hormonal fool that would leer at her only looking as far as her breasts. She was sick of boys who thought that because she was crippled she would welcome their hands and their gropings.

She was not sure why this dark haired stranger made her feel comfortable, but he did. She wanted to look nice for him, to make up for her lack of natural beauty and grace. She'd put on her best dress, one she had found in a charity shop last autumn, and brushed her hair until it shone, and stood in front of the mirror.

"Well," she had thought to herself, "This is it."

She had left her tiny apartment and started her long walk to Tobias, hoping that she would not be stood up again, hoping that he would be there.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Six**

* * *

Severus saw Beth several times a week after that. They would always meet somewhere they had both agreed on, she would always smile when she caught sight of him. He would always scowl at her lateness. Upon leaving, Beth never allowed him to take her home, always saying she lived near, or that the train would take her where she needed to go.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" she asked as they left a small pub in the Garden District.

"I would like to see you some place more private," Severus answered softly.

"I get off work at six, maybe you could meet me then?" she smiled at him.

Severus turned to her, resting his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to kiss her. His lips brushed against hers, travelled across her cheek and came to rest at her ear.

"I said more private," he whispered as his hands left her shoulders and encircled her body.

Beth leaned into him; bringing her left arm up behind his neck, she pulled him further down as she pressed into him. She said his name, but it was lost in his mouth.

Finally pulling away Severus looked at her. Her head was lowered, but he could see her mouth slightly open and swollen from his kisses.

"Beth?" he said her name softly. "I want you, you know that."

He felt her stiffen and pull back. She looked down to the ground and began to walk away.

"Beth?" His long strides caught up with her shorter ones easily.

As he fell in step beside her, he could see that tears had wetted her cheeks. Lifting his arm as he saw a taxi driving slowly past, he indicated for it to stop. As he led her to the curb, he thought desperately of what to do.

"Beth, I will leave you to think on this until Saturday," he said. "I will meet you in the park.

We will talk then."

He opened the door for her, and handing the fare to the driver, he walked away.

Beth did not know what to do. She was scared. She wanted to be with him. When he kissed her she wanted to melt, she wanted to push her body to his, to feel him hard against her. She loved the smell of him, his scowling face, his full mouth and the way his fingers would trace a pattern on her thighs. She wanted to go to his bed, but she knew she would loose him then. After he took her, after he saw the scars she carried, after he had what he wanted, he would no longer want her. They were all the same, she heard the warning in her mind, don't get close, don't believe the lies.

That Friday found Severus sitting across from Albus in the Headmaster office, sipping a cup of tea and refusing yet another offer of lemon drops.

"Albus, whoever gave you this information, about white angels and snakes either wants to send us all over the place, has the information wrong, or is having a good laugh at you."

"We don't have much to go on Severus, we need to take whatever we hear, as serious," Albus sighed.

"There are just too many places to look. Even if we knew where to look, chances are we would miss it. We need more information before I can continue," he said flatly.

"Very well my boy, we will hope the seer has another vision. Many others have been looking as well, all with the same concerns and opinions." Albus stood and walked to the window where he stood looking down on the grounds.

"So how is your summer coming? And your new friend? Are you seeing much of her? It must be a pleasant thing indeed to have someone to spend so much time with," the Headmaster mused.

"Fine, she is well and yes," he sneered at Albus' intrusion into his personal life. "Now, as there is nothing further I will be on my way."

"Oh, come now boy, you know I wish you happiness. It has been so long since I have seen you so relaxed. I am just concerned as to who she is since there are many that would …"

"She is a Muggle, Albus," he gave in way of answering. "I am sure you will never meet her, nor she you. Since she is unknown in this world her safety is ensured. You need not worry that I will continue to see her."

"That is a problem how, Severus?" Albus' voice took on a more serious tone. "You should know that none of your friends, no one working at this school, or anyone in the Order would fault you for that?"

"I have not told her I am a Wizard. She is nothing more then a summer diversion, one that will disappear with the summer holiday," he said looking up at Albus.

"There is no need for that to happen. We are all entitled to fresh starts, but unless you are prepared to lose her, you need to tell her everything. Only by doing this can you truly be with her," Albus said solemnly

"I am sure I would not be her first choice anyway Albus," he sighed. "I am her summer diversion as much as she is mine and I have no plans to continue with it."

"I hope that is not the case."

"It matters not. When term starts, I shall be back teaching dunderheads, and playing my part. Rest assured that the Order will have their spy, and you will have a warm body to teach potions, of course that in itself does not seem to be a requirement for teaching here." Severus responded lightly, rising to leave.

"Oh yes, of course." Reaching into his desk drawer Albus brought out a box with the Honeydukes label.

"Here Severus, Honeydukes' new line of pastries. I think they would be fine to offer as an after dinner treat. Perhaps you could share them with a friend," he smiled.

Severus grabbed the box, shoving it under his arm and strode to the door. Without turning around, he called back, "Meddlesome old fool, that's what you are. If there was a Master's title in meddling you would wear it on your sleeve."

He was still muttering, and walking toward Hogwarts' gate when he saw Lucius Malfoy coming towards him. The wards were set to repel Death Eaters, save himself, who bore the dark mark. Yet clearly, they had allowed Lucius to enter. Severus stopped and slipped his hand into his pocket, lightly fingering his wand.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?" Professor Snape drew up to his full height, feeling like a fool with the box of pastries tucked neatly under his arm.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend Severus? It has been at least six months since I last have had the pleasure you of seeing you at one of the Dark Lord's Revels." Lucius tilted his head back, allowing his silver blond hair to drop back over his shoulders as he peered down his nose at Severus.

"And how would you have me greet you in sight of the Headmaster's office? Do you think he may have second thoughts about placing his trust in me if I were to greet you as a friend?"

"Since my son starts school here this fall, and I am on the board, I thought it time I paid a visit to the Headmaster." He stepped closer to Severus. "Revel this Saturday, I am sure the Dark Lord would like all to attend."

"The Dark Lord, Lucius?" Severus hissed. "And exactly where would this be? Will he be there Lucius? Will he be sitting by your side? No, I think not. If he does come back, he will be sitting at my side. Be warned Lucius, he will know how you have acted in his absence. He will know you have set yourself up as his replacement."

"His replacement?" Lucius' only visible response was a slightly raise eyebrow. "I would say more like his General. Keeping his troops ready for his return. Keeping their, shall we say, appetites on edge. Keeping them loyal to the cause."

"Keeping yourself in trim is more like it," Severus hissed.

"At least keeping it in pure working order, if you know what I mean. Keeping the pure-blood pure. Keeping the Muggle blood, well, just not letting the Muggles keep it," he laughed. "As much as I would like to continue this enlightening conversation, I do have an appointment to keep, and it appears," he said nodding toward the box under Severus's arm, "you have a dinner to prepare"

Lucius strode past Severus, brushing against him as he did. Severus took out his wand and cast a hurried spell to make sure Lucius had not placed a tracing spell on him. When satisfied that all was as it should be he hurried out of the gate.

.

.

Beth and Severus sat on a red and green plaid blanket eating sandwiches and fruit for lunch the following day. Severus had Millie prepare the basket for him and was surprised to find a bottle of wine included. At the bottom of the basket, the box of Honeydukes finest pastries laid as a constant reminder of Albus' advice.

They had spent most of the past month together, always meeting somewhere, him always leaving her at a train station. He had tried to take her home, in hopes, at first, of being invited in to do more than kiss goodbye in a public venue, however her excuses soon showed him her resolve to keep her private life, just that, private. He had never followed. He had promised her he would not.

"Beth," he began, not sure how to broach the subject that had been bothering him. "Is there someone else? Someone you do not wish me to know about? Is this the reason you do not want me to know where you live?"

Her eyes fluttered to the blanket, her hands twisting in her lap. Severus saw her reaction as a confirmation. He stood abruptly, looking down at her, his jaw clenched, his fists at his side, he could not believe he had been such a fool.

"Miss. Stone," he began

"No!" she almost shouted, "it's not that, Please, Tobias wait. I just don't… I just don't know…

Severus squatted down to her level, cupping her face in his hands, turning her head up just the slightest. He did not give in to his urge to kiss her, he wanted more than one kiss, more than the feathering touch of her mouth on his. More then the sound of her sighs when his tongue played with her bottom lip. He hardened as he watched her, seeing the tears fill her eyes, and her bottom lip tremble.

"Tell me or this is over. Whatever this is between us is over. If I cannot trust you…, No, if you can not trust _me_ with who, or what you are… this is over," using his teaching voice to put as much distance as he could between her lips and his eyes, he stood to full height again and waited for her answer.

"What … What do you mean…? What I am? What do you think I am?"

"I don't know. Are you in a relationship with someone? Perhaps you are a wife, a mother, someone's lover, a young bored girl out for a summer fling?" Not getting an answer or any further reaction from her, he continued, anger fueling his tongue.

"Perhaps you prefer no attachments, perhaps I am not handsome enough for you or too old for you, or maybe, just maybe you enjoy the hunt, the tease, the flirting, the …"

"Stop it!" she hissed. "If you think that just leave me alone. Why must you do this? You always say just the right thing to cut."

Once again lowering to her and taking her face in his hands, he forced her face up to his.

"Look at me woman!" he demanded. "Look at me!"

Her eyes locked on his face, seeing his lips, nose, and cheeks. Seeing the hard set of his jaw she wished to kiss, but was held back by his arms when she leaned forward.

"Tell me now!" The last word was louder the he had realized, soliciting looks from the other people in the park.

"Tobias, please," she pleaded. "Let it go. Let whatever you are worried and angry about go. I don't want to fight, and I don't want this to happen. Please you scare me at times. You anger so easily, just let it go."

"I _will_ let it go. To do so, I will also let you go. Is this what you want? Is that truly what you want?"

After what seemed an eternity, she whispered, "I can't tell you, Tobias, but, I will show you."

Raising her eyes to his for the first time, she quickly let them fall.

"I think it is time you see where and how I live," she struggled to her feet, adjusted her hand around her cane and started out of the park. "Then you can leave."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

They stood in a small dingy hallway that smelled of urine and stale cigar smoke. Careful not to touch the banister, Severus had silently climbed up the six flights of stairs behind her. He could only imagine what the stains on the carpet and stairs were. He knew that Beth was tired after the long climb. Her right leg could hardly clear the steps by the time they had reached her floor. He had followed her, seeing her stumbling more than once as he had stubbornly refused to help.

Severus was ready for the rejection that was sure to follow. He did not even know why he had come, why he had felt he needed to play this out to the end. He should have just left her in the park when he first knew that she was done with him. Now, he followed her down the dark hallway, seeing her having difficulty just walking to her apartment. He sneered at the squalor she lived in, smelling the disgusting odour and knowing she'd used him as a meal ticket, expecting her now to drop the other shoe and tell him what she really wanted.

"This is it," she sighed as she opened the door.

Severus followed her in, watching as she crossed to a small table with two mismatched chairs next to it. Reaching into a small bowl, she found the matches, struck one, and lit the candle that was sitting on the table. He saw no other candles in the room and fought his urge to utter _Lumos_.

Looking up at him, her eyes flat and dull, she flung her arm out indicting the room. "Welcome, it isn't much, but it's home. They call it a studio. Sounds rather grand, to say one lives in a studio apartment instead of a bedsit."

She crossed to the only window in the room, pulling back the curtains in hopes of letting a little more light in, then turned back to him.

"The building next door blocks most of the sun, but it helps a little. Lovely view, don't you think?"

Severus continued to look at the abject poverty that was before him. The table and chair were the best two pieces in the room. Behind the table was a counter that held a double ring and toaster oven. He imagined it was the kitchen.

To the right was a old book case, the top shelf being used to store neatly folded clothes, the bottom two almost devoid of all but two books. The bed was a small child sized bed, a single he thought it was called, covered in a bright yellow blanket. However, the small square of colour only served as contrast to the rest of the room, making it all the more depressing.

Out of habit, he turned and assessed the door lock. Making a mental note to get her a proper lock, he turned back to see Beth still standing by the window.

"The loo is down the hallway, on the left. We share. In a place such as this you learn to share. If you need to use it before you leave, I would suggest locking the door. I have some strange neighbors that may want to watch."

"Miss Stone," he began, falling back to the use of her formal title. "Why would you not tell me about this? Why would you not tell me your situation?"

"My situation?" Her lips curled upwards in a false smile, her arms wrapped around herself as if toward off cold. "Why, this is the best place I've ever had. Are you trying to insult me, Mr. Prince? See, there is glass in the window. That's a big plus after living on the streets. Oh, and I forgot to mention the heat. In the winter we even get heat. Well, not all day, that would be rather a waste, but at night before it overheats and shuts down, broken you know. Isn't that grand?"

"Miss Stone," he tried again. "Beth, there is no shame in this."

"Shame, why would I feel shame here? Do you think only whores and druggies are poor?" she retorted with an uncharacteristic snort, rubbing her hands on her arms. "So, now that you see where I live, what do you want?"

Severus had often wondered where she lived. However, now that she put the question to him he had no answer. He looked at her evenly, not knowing why she had suddenly turned on him. Why she sounded so cold.

"Or are you expecting me to ask you for money now? Is that it? It is… I can tell." She put her head back and laughed. "Good gods, the look on your face. If I had thought of it sooner maybe I should have. You could have gone back to your uppity school and told everyone about the little money grabber you found."

"If you are done, Miss Stone, it is time I left."

"Oh? Have you seen enough?"

"I am trying to understand your reasoning, as well as the sudden change, but perhaps I find you beyond reasoning. Let me just leave you with this, where I come from, education is measured differently, as is someone's worth. If you think I would judge you by this, or that this is what you are, then you have judged me wrong. Now, if you are done with your hysterics I will bid you good day."

"Then we come from different planets," she started to laugh as she watched him walk to the door. "Because where I come from, where you lived, and who you are, are the only things that do matter."

"I don't know why we are arguing, I am not even sure why you are angry at me. If I have said, or implied something other than what I intended, you will have to excuse me. I have been … out of the country… for too long to understand the subtle differences of … this… this country."

"Mr. Prince, of the private boarding school and with the up-country accent? I wonder if I would have been good enough for your school? There was once a school I wanted to…," she hesitated, looking wildly around the room.

"Mr. Prince, of the wine for dinner and tea at the proper time? My very own Mr. Prince, with a set of clothes for each day of the week sure to have the appropriate …," again, she stopped, adjusted her grip on the cane, and seemed to fight to collect her thoughts as her voice grew louder. "I don't belong here, and you need to leave, just leave. I shouldn't have brought you here, I thought I could do this… tell you but … just leave."

"Stop!" He frowned at her, unable to open the door and leave. Stepping closer to her, not understanding, he wanted her to calm down and talk to him coherently. "I have given you no reason to think that I …"

"I know what you think of me! Do you think I am stupid? This is when you make up an excuse to leave," she hissed. "So leave, I don't care what the fuck you do. If I am so stupid, so low class, and not of the right blood, then just leave."

"Beth? Why would I think of you that way? After all these weeks you should know me better than that, know that I do not consider you uneducated or somehow … less."

"Oh, maybe you don't say it, not out loud, but I can hear it …you're all alike." She felt her knees buckling, her right arm shaking so badly she could no longer hold her cane. "You find out I have nothing, and think it gives you some sort of … some … you think you can take what you want as long … not this time. No, no one will do that to me again, do you understand me? I won't let you, not this time, not here, not now."

Something had happened, something he could not fathom. He had seen Muggle women in hysterics before, it undid him then as it did now. However, this was not a Revel, this was not a violent … suddenly a cold fear travelled from his loins to the base of his neck when he realized she was no longer seeing just him in the room. He wanted to pull his wand and enter her mind, he wanted to see what she saw.

"Beth," he kept his voice even and soft. "Tell me what happened."

"Why? Can you change it? Can you change me? Can you make be belong here?" she said tearfully. "I've tried, really tried, but every time, every time they want more than I can give, then they leave. So just leave now, now before it hurts more."

"I need to understand what…"

"Mr. Prince? Tobias? … should, Mr. Prince," She looked around, he knew she did not recognize where she was, he saw her sway.

Severus caught her before she fell, lowering her gently to floor, barely hearing the last of her words before her tears fell. "Tobias? I don't want you to leave me too, not you… ," she said so softly he had to look at her lips to understand what she said. "I love you."

He held her in his arms, her sobs racking her body as he sat on the floor with her. He made gentle shushing sounds wondering as he did what had just happened. He thought he could stand up and leave, shut the door and walk away, but holding her and listening to her sob made him unable to move.

"Beth," he whispered her name, "trust me. None of this matters to me. Why would you think any of this would? Why would your financial state make any difference? I am more interested in your mind then your level of formal education. Obviously, you have schooled yourself well. You are well read, and well informed. Much more so than many of my colleagues."

He leaned down trying to see her face, to see her reaction to what he was saying.

"As far as my finances go," he sighed, "I come from an old family, a large old family. Being the only survivor has granted me a little more than most. I also live at the school most of the year and thereby incur no expenses. As for the different outfit every day, I usually wear the same thing every day. I only bought these clothes to impress you. I can see how well it worked."

He could feel her sobs lessening, and hoped to imagine that last hiccup was more of a small laugh.

"Beth," he pulled back her hair, pushing her back so he could see her reaction. "I would never refer to you as a cripple. I would never think of you that way, and I would ask you never to do so either. I find that term appalling. I do not mean just in relationship to you, but to anyone who must fight to overcome something their past has thrown their way. Are we clear?" he asked frowning.

"It's not just that, oh Tobias, it is so much more. So much I can't tell you."

"Here I thought you were involved with someone, that I was too old. I thought you perhaps saw in me a sort of older brother or Mer… God forbid… a father figure," he tried to grin, but found he could manage little more than a grimace.

They sat together, she on his lap, his eyes on her until he could resist no longer. He allowed his lips to come down on hers; pulling her to him harder and rougher than he had planned. Once he tasted her, once his tongue was in her mouth, once his hands found the skin under her blouse, and rose to caress her breasts, once his mouth fell to that place where her neck started, he knew he was becoming lost. Summoning all his willpower, he lifted her off his lap and stood. If his fears were well founded, he could not do this.

She slowly got up, accepting his hand to pull against as she struggled to stand.

"Tobias?" she whispered, "take me to bed."

"Are you sure? Here? Now? Make sure girl, because once we start this I will not stop," he searched her face for his answer.

"I have never, I mean not … not with someone I wanted before," again tears came to her eyes.

"Beth, if you would rather wait…" he began.

"No. It's just something that happened to me when I was young. It put me off, I get scared sometimes."

"We could go somewhere else if you…" her hand covered his mouth, stopping him from completing his sentence.

"No, now. If you don't mind keeping the candle on, so I can see you," she said nervously.

"Beth?" he questioned again, "are you sure?"

"Yes," her hand cupped his cheek, as she reached up to kiss him. "You won't hurt me?"

"Why would you think that?" he said as evenly as he could.

"I, I don't know … I just want to make sure that you wouldn't do that." She dropped her hand and pulled away from him. "But it doesn't matter."

"Beth, what doesn't matter? Surely you do not mean it would not matter if I hurt you." He looked at the side of her face, not wanting to force her to look at him right now, but needing her to answer him.

"Tobias? If I have never done this with … you know... someone I wanted … I mean if I was never, you know... god, this is coming out all wrong." she continued to stammer.

"Look at me, look at me Beth," he pleaded. He was trying to put her declarations into some order. With her next statement, it clicked. He knew he was right.

"You won't hurt me, I know you won't, I just … will you?"

"Beth," he asked, his spine cold, "who hurt you?"

"What?" She struggled against him only to feel him hold her tighter.

"No, that's not what I mean. I mean that was … that was ten … I don't know, maybe eleven years ago… not that, I mean… someone tried, but … It was the other person I cannot get out of … He… He made me… while… ," she tried again.

She could not put into words what had happened so many years ago. She could not tell this man in front of her that she was terrified of what she had asked him to do, but she was even more sure that if she did not she would lose him.

He held her chin up firmly demanding an answer. "Did someone force you?"

"Tobias? Please, I don't want to talk about it. It's not what you think." She lowered her head and leaned against him. "It's just that no one has ever wanted _me_. Twice I thought that someone could want me but they… they left. Once… he..he laughed at me when I thought he cared. I am scared that you will…"

He put his finger across her lips, signaling silence. "And before that?"

"It was a long time ago, and it's not what you think," she pleaded, "let it go, it doesn't matter any more. It's over and it has to stay that way."

He tenderly picked her up, carried to the bed and laying her head against his chest to hide her eyes, he used wandless magic to pull back the blanket and silence the room. Placing her on the far side of the small bed, he covered her gently.

Seeing her eyes cloud, he put his figure to her lips.

"No, tonight you sleep. Don't worry," he smiled at her frown. "You will not be getting away from me this easily. I do plan to have you. Not yet, not tonight. This has been too much for you today, you need to rest."

He sat next to her on the bed until he was sure she was sleeping then made to leave for his meeting. Knowing that if she woke before he returned she would think she was right, he dug though her belongings until be found pen and paper, and after writing a short note laid it on the table. Taking one last look at her, he leaned over and kissed her forehead before leaving for his meeting.

.

.

.

Albus frowned deeply as he and Severus sat enjoying a whiskey after the meeting. They sat in front of a roaring fire that Albus had insisted on, causing Severus to throw repeated cooling spells to the Headmasters delight.

"So tell me, Severus," the older wizard started, "how are things with you and your… research assistant."

"Give it up old man," he snorted.

"You know if you are not truthful with her you should walk away from her," Albus took a sip of his drink and placed the glass on the table. "I seem to remember another young lady you were less than truthful with."

"That was a long time ago and has nothing in common with this situation."

"What is the situation? Just curious."

"I told you, she is just a summer diversion."

"Is she aware of this?"

Severus looked at him coldly. "She knows nothing of us, nor will she. When term starts it is over."

"You think this best?"

"What I think has nothing to do with it. What the Dark Lord may think has everything to do with it. How would I explain bringing a Muggle into this world? Let me know, I'd be interested if you can come up with something good enough to fool him."

"Then leave her alone," Albus peered over his glasses. "Don't play with her, Severus. Sometimes things come back to haunt us, do not make her one of these things."

Severus's glass shattered into the fireplace. He stood before the Headmaster in a rage.

"Don't you even Albus. Don't you even turn this on me. You ordered me to be loyal to him and that's what I am doing, so don't sit there and preach to me."

"Severus, surely you have plans to tell her. You cannot go on without her knowing, whatever are you thinking?"

"Tell her what Albus? That I am a Wizard, the right hand of a Dark Lord, a Spy for the Light that I have done things, more things than I can count, that should not be spoken off in her presence?" Severus sneered.

"But you do count them Severus. You know every one. You know every transgression. You remember every hurt you have caused. That is why I know you can do this. That is why I know you have it in you to be honest with her," Albus sighed.

"Honest? Do you really think this is anything to do with honesty?" Severus shouted.

" Honesty and trust. If you cannot give this to the girl then leave her, and leave her before you destroy her completely and utterly." Albus turned to go into his bedchamber, signaling the end of the conversation.

"Oh, one more thing Severus, surely you do not plan on bedding the woman then walking away. But if you do, do not push the trust issue too far. It may come back and bite you."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Beth opened her eyes, looking around slowly to see if he was still there. Finding the room empty, she let her tears fall. She would give anything to go back a day. Go back and find a way to appease his questions, to appease his hunger without his finding her secrets.

Other men she had met had treated her much the same way. They had taken her out once, maybe twice before wanting her to have sex with them. They always gave her the not too subtle hint that with her looks, and her leg, she should be grateful. She knew men lied all the time, waiting until they thought she would lie down and spread her legs for them. Twice she had been fooled.

However, this felt different. He had said he would have her, but he had not taken her and now she wanted him to. For the first time, she wanted to have a man wrap him arms around her and tell her all the things she begged to believe. She wanted him to make love to her, to pretend if that is what he had to do, but she wanted him.

She stood, strapping her cane on her arm. Then she grabbed some clean clothes, gritted her teeth for the walk down the hallway and headed for the shower. She had to be at work in two hours. The money she saved by walking helped to keep her fed. She thought today she might splurge and take the train to work. After all, she had not been spending as much on food lately.

Seeing a piece of paper folded neatly on the table she worried as she picked it up, her hand shaking, afraid of what she would read. Her eyes ran down the page as a smile covered her face. Perhaps, she could use some of the money to buy a present for Tobias. Maybe she would walk today anyway.

.

.

Severus woke with a start. It was still early, but he had a lot to do today. If he was going to pull this one off, he needed help. He needed a wizard, or a witch, one that was so embedded in Muggle ways that they could think like a Muggle. He needed a Muggle born, living in the Wizarding world. That, or he needed a witch that grew up in a mostly Muggle household. He had been too far from the Muggle world, for too long to trust he would remember everything.

Looking at the clock, he found it far too early to be using the floo. Not many people would welcome being woken at 5am, especially by a Death Eater with a day's worth of beard growth on his chin. Rushing to the shower, he began his day.

"Millie!" He shouted stripping off his shirt.

"Yes Master," the elf said happily.

"You need to work today. I need this place clean. Cleaned of anything Wizard."

"Wizard? Sir, I don'ts understand," Millie said laying her ears down in defeat.

"Start with the paintings. Anything that moves without having a wand pointed at it goes in the attic, anything that talks, the mirrors, and anything that holds a part of someone, like the pensive, goes to the attic. Start with those and we will sort the rest out later."

"I need breakfast, I will not be going out this morning," he smirked. "One more thing, you will have the night off. Bloody hell, if this works I want you gone the rest of the summer."

With that, Millie disappeared before the Master could give her clothes. She was worried. Worried that he had finally lost what little sanity he had left. She understood his snarky nature, the evil ways, the dark robes, and silver half mask that still hung in his closet. Those things she understood, and could deal with, but she had never seen him… happy.

Severus was out of the shower, dressed and shoveling food into his mouth by 5:30 am.

"Millie," he bellowed again.

"Yes Master," she appeared with her arms full of books.

"Oh right," he stared, "I was just about to remind you about my books."

"Yes Master, I thinks books of _Potions for Wizards_, and _Witches Household Spells_ would be a bad thing," Millie actually sniped at him.

"You know how to read?" he questioned her, surprised.

"Yes, Master," Millie, said proudly.

"Since when, I mean, how long have you been reading?" his curiosity piqued.

"Since you started Hogwarts, Master. It was lonely without you sir, I read everything you read sir." She held her head proudly. "The great Miss Prince, she help me."

"Do you understand it Millie?" he quizzed. "What you read, do you understand what it means?"

Her ears flattened against her head. Her head hung in shame.

"No, sir. But, I likes the sounds of the words, and I like the Muggle words best," the elf admitted.

Severus considered this for a while.

"I'll tell you what Millie. You get this done, on time, you help me pull this off and I will bring you some more Muggle books. Just make a list of what you like and I will do the best I can," he frowned at her.

"What's you mean, best?" Millie asked.

Suspecting the elves and goblins to share a common gene, Severus felt trapped.

"_I_ will keep you supplied in books if you help me get this woman to stay," he frowned at the elf crossing his arms over his chest.

_Great_, he thought, _now I am making deals with a house elf to get a woman into my bed_. Millie nodded and hurried to hide the books as Severus kept an eye on the clock. He paced in front of his fireplace until he saw it was 7:00 am.

_Late enough_, he thought to himself, _every one should be up by now_.

So what if it was a Saturday. That was no reason to sleep late.

Sticking his head into his fireplace, he released the Floo powder clenched in his fist. Not believing what he was about to do.

"Remus!" he yelled, "I need to speak to that woman that watches the Potter's brat. Figg I think it is. Can you get her for me and send her here by floo?" He tried to sneer but came off looking foolish on his knees with his head sticking in the floo.

"Snape?" Remus looked around as if to find someone playing a joke on him. "Snape?"

"Very observant, Lupin. I see the full moon does not affect you eyes. Perhaps, it is just your mind that you left behind."

"Figg?" Remus repeated dumbly. "Oh right, old lady Figg."

"Well, I am waiting Remus," Severus scowled.

"I guess I can ask her, if it is important. Dumbledore wants her to stay close to Harry, but if … for how long?"

"An hour, perhaps, two. Bloody hell man I am not keeping her."

"Umm, yeah I guess so."

"Fine, if you would be so kind as to send her through the floo to Spinner's End, I have opened a connection for her." Severus blinked out of the floo leaving Remus to stare in awe at where his face had appeared.

Severus was not good at waiting. He arrived at Beth's room to find it empty. Since he had yet to discover where she worked, and realized with a pang of regret that he really knew nothing about her, he found it impossible to collect her himself, as he would have preferred.

Yesterday had deeply disturbed him. Not only did he find himself unable to leave, he had discovered, much to his own surprise that he did not want to let her go. He wanted to be selfish. He wanted her close, if only for what was left of his holiday, he wanted her.

He laid down on top of her bed and fell asleep waiting for her. Wrapped in her scent, he dozed until he felt a gentle tickling on his nose. Her schoolgirl giggles making their way into his sleep-fogged brain, he lay still, waiting until he knew she was leaning over him peering into his face to make sure he was still sleeping.

In one fluid motion, he captured her hands in his, and using his body, he pinned her beneath him on the narrow bed.

"Now little girl," he teased, "what do you plan on doing?"

He knew by the look on her face, the way her breath caught in her throat, the way her eyes looked to his lips, and the way his hardening member pushed into her as she pushed back, that yes, she planned to do exactly what he wanted her to.

It was 2:00 pm in the afternoon, bright light had found the dirty windowpane, and the room they were in was not fit for a dog pen. She was sweaty, hungry, with clothes dirty from work. He, still had sleep crusted to the corners of his eyes, his boots hung over the side of the too small bed. They could hear kids screaming somewhere in the building, the air of the hallway carrying into the room making them smell the stale smoke and urine. They both knew it would never get better than this.

He kissed her forehead, her eyes, her nose, found her lips and never wanted to lose them again. She sighed beneath him, closing her eyes and arching into him. Again, he cast wand-less silent spells. The first, to the door, locking and setting wards, the second to the walls, floors and ceiling silencing them to the rest of the building, and the rest of the building to them. The third and final spell was incanted softly into her mouth. He used a contraception spell. He did not plan to stop this time.

He unbuttoned her blouse with one hand, as his left steadied himself over her body, holding himself up slightly so as not to crush her. When he had accomplished this he sat back on his knees lifting off the dark blue jumper he wore, reaching down he pulled her to a sitting position, him between her thighs. He slid one arm around her waist pulling her up, into him, crushing her against him. His other hand pushed and pulled her blouse until it lay behind her on the bed. Unclasping her bra, he slid the straps down her arms, and tossed it to the floor.

Letting her fall back, following her down, they were now chest to chest, heavily panting , her harden nipples against his chest, his trousers straining with a hardness she could feel as he pushed against her. After what seemed a long time, he again moved back onto his knees. Pulling the zipper of her jeans down, he pulled gently, bringing the jeans and knickers off together, watching her face for any sign of fear.

Still with his eyes on her face, he unfastened his belt. Turning to sit on the side of the bed, he pulled his boots off, his socks going with them, and then standing he took his trousers off as he stood. His erection sprang free as he moved swiftly back to his position, only to find that Beth had closed her eyes and turned her head.

"Beth," he softly called, "you need to be here with me. You need to be part of this. You need to look at me, trust me, and not turn away. You need to know that this is me, not him. Please Beth, if you cannot do this I must stop. Do not ask me to stop. Not now. I don't think I can."

Turning her head toward him, she opened her eyes and looked briefly into his eyes, then dropped her gaze to his mouth. He had no idea what this small act cost her. How the mere fact the she, a pure blood witch would have the temerity to look directly into the eyes of any man, yet alone a man getting ready to fuck her, was tearing at her very soul. How could she explain to him, how could she let him know that she may not be what he wanted, but she would try to be every thing he needed. She raised her eyes to his, and biting her lower lip until she tasted her own blood, she refused to shut her eyes even as tears bleared her view, and she could no longer see him through the fog.

Severus brought his left arm up to wipe her cheeks, saw her instinctively flinch, and pulled back to study her face.

"I will never hurt you Beth, never," he murmured and tenderly kissed away her tears.

Laying there, supported by his arms beside her head, he felt at peace. A strange calmness overcame him. He again leaned in to kiss her, his right arm finding her breasts, gently tracing further down. Down his hand went, his fingers searching for the wetness that would tell him she was ready.

Today he would take her. He planned to go no further then this, not this time, not until she was ready. He longed to kiss her breasts, to suck gently until he heard her groan his name, he longed to lower his head between her thighs and taste her, but he knew after yesterday's revelations, that all that must wait.

He whispered into her ear. "Beth, just trust me. I will do nothing to hurt you."

Rubbing across her clit with his long figures, he whispered, "Beth, relax, please."

Kissing her throat, he felt her nod. His hand found her wetness, felt her tense, and positioning himself for penetration, he looked into her eyes.

"Say my name Beth, say my name. Remember it is me," he whispered to her.

His hand made one last stroke with his hand, and not understanding her body yet, reading her tensing as fear instead of what it was, he did not realize she was already at the edge. She already needed to unclench a terrible tightness that had come to her. He pushed his erection home and felt her walls clasp around him, already in orgasm. He felt her shudders, at the same time that he heard her small cry of surprise he also heard her small sigh of release.

"Tobias, oh Tobias, Yes…," she gasped.

He held still, deep, warm, and wet. Staring into her face with wonder and awe at the depth of her reaction to him. Waiting for her climax to pass, he wanted to give her time to adjust to his size, wanted to see her face when she realized what had just happened.

He was surprised and glad when her face relaxed, her mouth turned into the most beautiful smile he could remember from a woman he had just satisfied. He knew at this moment, at this exact instant, that this woman held his heart. He loved her.

"Well," he chuckled down at her surprised face. "And here I was worried that you were not ready yet. Next time you will have to wait for me to at least get inside."

"Next time?" she repeated smiling, panting heavily. "There's more?"

"Oh yes, my dear, we are going for the next time, and the next, and the next." He punctuated each promise with a firm kiss of her lips, ending the series with a long soft kiss when he felt her melt into his arms and body, once again pulling his shoulders down to her.

Slowly he began moving his hips. Pulling almost out before plunging back in, he sought to reach the bottom. He felt her hips rise with his, trying to find the rhythm, not wanting to break the connection. He felt her nails dig into his back as she held him, pulling him ever closer, needing him deeper.

He guided her legs up to his back, whispering for her to wrap herself around him, to hang on to him, to let him finish. He felt her inner walls tighten again, heard his almost name come to her lips, saw her head push back against the pillow as wave after wave of her hit him. He could feel her orgasm, felt it wash over him, felt the heat from her envelope him, but this time, this time, her eyes were wide open to his.

"That my dear was totally uncalled for," he chided, unable to let go the depth of his feelings even now. "Again? This time you will wait for me?"

He bit her neck tasting copper upon his lips. Losing all pretense of being gentle, he pounded into her, hearing her moans of desire even still, at his assault. He could not stop, could not hold back any longer, he needed this. He needed to feel this woman beneath him, needed the power she gave to him.

"Come with me Beth," he pleaded, his voice urgent, "come with me, for me, come now!"

And she did. Shuddering and calling his name, using her hand to keep his head turned to her, and looking directly into his eyes she again released herself to him.

Using his words she called to him softly, "Look at me Tobias, please."

Opening his eyes at her command, he saw her face at the same time he felt his release explode. Saw her eyes at the same time he felt her clamp around him, as if even her internal walls would not let him go. Saw in her eyes, no fear, no hesitation, no regret, and fell to the place that he would ever remember.

Falling forward onto his arms, he rested with his forehead against hers. He did not pull out as he normally did when taking a witch, he did not roll over in search of his clothes wanting nothing more then a hasty retreat. He tried to catch his breath as he smiled into her mouth, kissing her softly. Bringing up his left arm to brush the hair back from her face, he felt and saw her stiffen. Fear once again in her eyes.

"I am sorry Tobias. I don't know what's wrong I just need to get up. I need to get up NOW," she panicked, bringing her hands to his chest.

Pushing him away she hurried from the bed, and pulling on her clothes as she made for the door, she rushed out of the room and down the hallway to the loo.

Severus looked after her with his eyes darkening. He had no idea what had just happened, why her fears had returned.

"Damn," he muttered throwing a hex at the door sending it slamming so hard it rattled the glass in the windowpanes.

He used his wand to clean up, tidy the bed, and remove the smell of their sex from the room. If she were not comfortable with their act, he would try to erase the evidence for her. He knew she had enjoyed herself. _Fuck_, he thought, _she liked it just fine. Just fine_ _times three_.

Fully dressed, he now paced and fumed. Perhaps he had been too rough; perhaps he had hurt her, or said something in the heat of passion to which she took offence. Hell, he could not remember what he had said other than calling her name as he came long and hard. He was hard again just thinking about it.

.

.

Down the hallway, with her back pressed to the inside of the loo door Elizabeth tried to still her nerves. _It is just a tattoo_, she told herself. He just has an ugly tattoo that he no doubt got on some drunken weekend during his college years. Death Eaters didn't roam the Muggle world looking to fuck a cripple in her grotty bedsit. A Death Eater would not have waited this long for her; he would have taken what he wanted, raping her if he had to.

Things were not adding up to Elizabeth. He was here, she loved him. She thought he loved her. She had taken him to her bed.

He was kind, he was good to her, but she knew he could be cruel. She had seen how he could reduce a waitress to tears with look. His manners were old fashioned. He seemed lost in London, not understanding simple things like a Juke Box in the corner of the local pub. He visited Cathedrals all over England, yet could always make it back in time for dinner. He could not read a train schedule, always leaving the task to her. His accent was of Britain, yet he was sometimes perplexed when counting out change.

"Dear Merlin," she moaned into her hands sliding down the door. "What am I to do?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

She washed her face, combed her hair and tried to pull her clothing straight. She had run from her room so fast she had not grabbed her bra or knickers, only hiding in her outer clothes. Now she had to face him. She had to walk back in there and say something, anything that would make him stay and not ask questions. Death Eater or not, she still loved him. She was wrong, she told herself. She was wrong about his arm, what she had seen. It was nothing, a mistake, a Muggle thing.

"Tobias," her voice was soft, close to tears. "I am sorry Tobias. I guess I just got scared. I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to run off like this."

She stood just inside the doorway, the door still open, she was ready to run if she perceived any anger in him. Severus took two long strides over to her, leaned forward, and cupped her face to his.

"Angry? What have I to be angry for?" he said with obvious relief. "The fact that you came before I knew what was happening to you? Or the fact that you did it twice? I would like to take that as a compliment, not an issue to be angry about."

"Twice? I counted three, did you miss something?" She tried to join in his teasing, as she turned red.

"No, I think the third was with me, at my request, my favorite. However, I may have to repeat that performance to make sure." His thumb traced her jaw line, his eyes falling down to the mark he had placed on her neck, as he looked hard at her.

'You're not leaving me?"

"I don't know where this is going, but I will be as good to you as I can, for as long as I can. Do you understand me woman? If there is someone else in the wings, tell me now." His demeanor quickly changed from kind and tender to almost cruel and warning.

"What are you saying? You know better than to think I have someone else, at least you should by now."

He watched her face as she digested his demands and answered his questions. He could have kicked himself. He did not mean to say those things to her. He did not mean to do other than kiss her when he had crossed the room to her.

She thought she understood him completely. He didn't plan to stay, he didn't care enough for that. He didn't love her the way she loved him. If he did, he would not talk of leaving her. He cared for her as much as a Death Eater could care for a Muggle, as a piece of trim, as a toy he could use when he had to stay in the city away from the pure blood witches that he prized. She understood that he would be loyal to her only as long as it was convenient. She was to expect nothing more.

As soon as she refused him, as soon as his time here was over, he would move on. As soon as she put any demands on him, he would leave her to her train schedules and music from strange boxes fastened to the tops of tables. He would leave without looking back, without a thought.

All this she knew, as well as she knew she loved him.

He had been pleased with what Miss Figg had done to Spinner's End when he arrived back home with Beth on his arm. They had spent the day on the train, stopping to have lunch along the way, making a fun day of the travel. Severus was at first impatient with the slow Muggle way of doing things, then finally able to relax, he found he could enjoy it. Now he walked along the pavement at Spinner's End, worried about what he would find.

Taking a deep breath, he had opened the door for her, not knowing what to expect, checking his pocket to make sure his wand was ready in case he had need for a quick memory charm. The house was rather empty, with bare walls and shelves devoid of any personal effects. Miss Figg had even transfigured new switches on the walls, casting a spell that enabled lights to switch on, although the electricity had long been missing. Spinner's End was now a completely Muggle house, at least in appearance.

He was quite pleased when Beth agreed to spend that night, and the next, and the next. They spent their days and nights together, she allowing him to pay the rent on the dingy room they both knew she would return to, and making detailed notes on how much she owed him, and he not wearing new clothes every day just to impress her. They reached an unspoken comfortable agreement, and each seemed please with their lot.

The remaining summer passed in the closest thing Severus had ever had to a peaceful life. He had imagined this, as he had daydreamed of the war's end. In his younger days he thought he could have a true family, complete with a witch at his side and children asleep in their beds. Now, he knew it would be only snatches of stolen time. The Darkness was coming back and he would never have more than this, and thought it had to be enough.

One day he realized how much the dream had changed when he sat watching her put the breakfast dishes in the sink. He thought he could hide her. He could keep her here, keep her safe and hide her from the returning Dark Lord. He wanted more than a summer of dreams. Slamming his palm on the table, he stood and left the room. Foolish thoughts had no place in his world.

Then one night, close to term, everything came crashing in on Severus. That night he answered the call to the true Dark Lord. That night his real life resurfaced. He returned as naturally as if he had been born to it, as if the past few years had not occurred, were erased and thrown away. The night he went to the Malfoy Manor when his arm burned, he found the rumours were true.

"I want you to stay here while I am at the school," he had told Beth at dinner later that night, before he knew exactly how the Lord would come. "I want to know where you are and that you are safe. That place you live in is no place for a single woman."

"Tobias, I will not be a kept woman, sitting here and waiting for you to return every night," she turned down her chin, suddenly interested in the china pattern. "I have been on my own for a while now, I'll be just fine."

"Beth, look at me when I talk to you," he sighed. "At least let me give you some money for a better place. I can afford it. It is what I want to do. "

"You want to make me your whore, Tobias? Is that it? Do you think so little of me that you would hide me away from everyone, or pay me to come to your bed? Or do you just plan on fucking me and think my place is beneath you?"

Severus raked his figures through his hair in a gesture that she had learned to be one of utter frustration and coming anger.

"Beth, what do you want out of this? What is it that you expect?" his voice low and dangerous.

"I expect nothing," her voice flat. "What I want is to be with you when I can, to come to your bed, to be able to see you. But no, Tobias, I don't expect marriage if that's what you are asking."

"Then do not make more of this then it is woman," he hissed as he pushed his chair back, striding to the front door and walking out into the still night air.

He did not know how to tell her that he wanted her to stay with him as more then his bed warmer. He wanted to have her with him, be his wife, to claim her, to never allow her to leave, to own her heart, he did not even consider telling her he loved her, he had since he looked into her eyes that first time together, he could not say the words. Words that had no place in his world.

The night before term started at Hogwarts he took her rougher then he ever had. Bending over her from behind, in the living room where she had come to greet him. He had not checked to see if she was ready before he slipped into her. Plunging in hard, faster, deeper than he had in the past, feeling her protests as he entered her dry. Not caring if she found release or not, not hearing her ask him to go slower. He only felt the hurt that was gripping him, the cold tendrils of fear climbing up his spine. He wanted her to feel it too. He wanted her to know how deeply he cared, but could not tell her. He could not say the words he demanded from her. He could not let her know that something called the Dark Lord had returned.

He had felt the Monster's mind. The monster had come back, growing, gaining strength. Like some satire of the Muggle God. With a roar of anger he pulled out of her and spun her around to face him.

"Tell me you love me woman, tell me the words." He growled into her mouth, then pushed her away, grabbed her hand and pulled her to the bedroom. He harshly pushed her to the bed, not waiting for her to consent to him, he was on top of her, kissing his was way down to her core.

He needed something he could not find, and thought it was in her. He kissed every inch between her legs, and parted her with his face, driving his tongue into her, wanting to get deeper. He brought one hand to her anus, the other stroking her clit. Raising his head, he watched her face seeing her eyes closed and teeth clenched.

"Open your eyes. Look at me!" he demanded, "I need to see you!" Lowering his head slightly to lick her clit he watched her turn her head further away from him. He felt her quiver, but he knew how to read her body now. He knew she was not enjoying this, he knew one more lick and she would scream for him to stop. The shuddering he felt not from arousal, but from fear.

He raised his head to see fear on her face and her chest rising with each sob. He slid up her body, lifting her legs to his shoulders and plunged in again. This time she squeezed her eyes shut, not meeting his eyes, not wanting to even believe he could do this. As he found his relief, she shuddered in fear, reaching to the headboard to pull away from him. This was sex with a Death Eater, and after taking all as she could, she cried out in pain.

"I am sorry Beth," he said not knowing what he was sorry for more, hurting her or driving her away.

"Tobias?" she pushed up on her elbows as he slid to the side, wiping the tears off her face. "When do you plan of leaving? That's what this was about right?"

Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he glared over his shoulder at her "What are you after woman?"

"You are planning on leaving me. I just wanted to know how much longer we have," she said sadly.

"Ever since you came back from your meeting yesterday you have been… different, and now you return and do this. You've never hurt me before, or… you are different now. What's happened?"

"Not now," he muttered.

"What you just did to me was not wanting to keep me, nothing to do with making love, but wanting to push me away. Tobias, I may not be experienced is these things, but I know you are leaving. Just, please tell me when," she said calmly, looking to the floor as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

Severus stood as he grabbed clothes; he picked up her things and tossed them at her.

"Tonight. I leave you tonight. I have arranged for a taxi to pick you up at 7:00 pm," he said as if nothing was happening.

"So, this is it?" She said her voice trembling.

"Yes, I told you not to make more of this than it was. You should have listened." He spoke in that low dangerous voice that would brook no complaints.

"When were you planning on telling me?" Her voice flat and her eyes blank.

"After I fucked you," he sneered at her, turning on his heel, only the silver half mask absent from the image he was showing her.

He walked out into the night. His chest felt like it would explode, his bowels as if he was about to lose control. Swiftly he bent over and vomited into the street as he let his eyes fill with his tears.

.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

The taxi had been on time, arriving promptly and taking her to the train station where she found a ticket waiting. Beth left without a backwards look. She knew the small house at Spinner's End held nothing for her, not now that he had sent her away.

She had been expecting this. She had hoped to have more time, more time to feel loved, and more time to fall into his arms, to feel him inside her, around her, with her. She refused to cry, refused to act like a blubbering Muggle woman that could not live without a man. She would be strong, strong for herself and the baby that she knew was growing inside her.

While he had been at his meeting two days ago, she had gone to a Mediwitch, using the floo, careful to replace the correct amount of powder in the small box he kept. It was an unpleasant trip, one with hooded cloaks and whispered words. She did not go into the Wizarding World often, even at St. Mungo's she felt she was too close to it. Her cane attracted attention, and screamed at everyone that looked, that she was without magic and had no place here.

Not that anyone would recognize her after all these years, and the few that would were old family friends. Friends of the family that disowned her would recognize her and spit or curse as she walked by. Only Tom that opened the wall for her on the rare occasions she had need to enter the Alley was still kind. He offered a smile, and watched after her, as her back got smaller in the distance.

The Mediwitch had shown her into a room, looking down at her Muggle clothing and shoes, obviously not wanting to treat her after reading her case history. When the test came back positive, the Mediwitch had openly sneered at her.

"Living like a Muggle I see," she had spat. "Whoring around, like a damned bitch in heat? I guess the Ministry was right about you. It would serve you right if it's taken away from you, the Ministry would be within its rights you know."

Beth had jumped from the examining table, tossed a few galleons on the examining table and fled. She did not need to hear the words to know that an unmarried witch with a child was an outcast, an untouchable. An unmarried witch with no magic, no wand, no wizard to protect her, was a whore.

She made her choice, as if there was one to make. She would do this herself. He would not know. She would not let him have the chance to make her get rid of it, or to take it from her. She returned to him and to Spinner's End and made her plan.

Now, as she stood looking up at her rooming house, watching the taxi pull away, she found it was time to put her plan in action. Turning her back on where she used to live she slowly walked away. It was time to find a dry place for the night. She would be unsafe here. If he knew where she was, he could find her. If St. Mungo's ever found out who she had been with, who the child belonged to, he would know and come for her or send another Death Eater to end it. She would wait until her child was in her arms before she let anyone know.

.

.

.

.

Over a year passed before she returned to the Alley. It was almost winter and the air biting cold. She wrapped her free arm tighter around her body, supporting the sling she wore under her coat and lowered her head into the wind as she walked the last eight blocks from the train heading to the Leaky Cauldron.

She could do this, she kept telling herself. She hugged the small bundle she carried closer to her chest with her left arm, her right tightly grasping the cold metal of her walking cane. She knew she could do this.

Articles in the Daily Profit had sent fear through her. They spoke of Death Eaters, murder of Muggles, the cleansing of the races, and the elimination of the unwanted. She knew that it was only a matter of time before they discovered and came for her. How long would it be before someone from the Ministry found her records, saw her child's birth registration, traced the name to a death eater, and came for her.

The Dark Lord and the Ministry were so closely tied that the knowledge of one became the other's. It was only a matter of time. She pulled her coat tighter around her body, pulled her hood lower to her face and pushed into the Leaky Caldron.

Tom was working today. _Thank Merlin_, she thought. He stood where he always did, behind the counter by the stairs. This spot gave him full view of the door to greater London, and the back door to the Alley. He could also keep a close eye on the dining room and bar area. Seeing the door open, and a small heavily covered person enter, he stiffened slightly.

This was not how someone on the up and up dressed. The hood was hiding the face so completely but he could surmise from the size that the shape was female, however, there was no reason to believe this small woman could not also be a Death Eater.

His hand rested on his wand, as he waited for the figure to approach him. He knew only one person who would be dressed as a witch, but walk with the aide of a Muggle cane, relaxing, he lowered his wand.

"What Tom," a weak female voice came to him as a small hand pushed the heavy hood back to allow him to see her face. "No hello for an old acquaintance?"

"Elizabeth!" His voice startled as he watched her finger tap her lips in the universal sign for silence. "I wondered what had become of one of my favorite little girls. Why, I have not seen you for, what, over a year? And before that for…. how many has it been?"

Casting a silencing spell with a flick of his wand, he also cast a warming charm around her. Slowly she pulled her coat out from her body, showing him the blue blanket bundle tied around her middle, the little head laying over her heart. Lifting her eyes almost to his she pleaded.

"Please Tom, I need help," she whispered, "We need help."

Tom looked at the tiny baby, remembering his own small son, long dead now. Long gone to a place he could not go yet for more years then he cared to count. How he missed that little boy, and the woman he had called wife.

"What can I do, luv?" he asked, no hesitation, "tell me what you want. I will do it if I can." Seeing her thin face, the dark circles under her eyes, the pallor of her skin, "But let me feed you first. It has been a long time since we have visited."

She allowed Tom to lead her into the kitchen where a small table with only two chairs was set against the wall. She felt safer here, with only the house elves and Tom. She did not feel on display to the world, she gave him a weak smile as he sat down opposite her.

She told Tom as much as she felt she could about Tobias. She did not say his name, or the fact that she really knew nothing about him, just that he was kind to her, perhaps a little harsh to others. Just that she had loved him dearly, that he had only cared for her, that he was a Death Eater. Then she told him what she needed.

"A Death Eater," he shook his head, "Lizzie, how could you?" He fell back to her childhood name. "You know better, Lizzie, he used you. He's not coming back. You have to know that, if anyone would know what they are capable of it would be you."

She kept her eyes on the tabletop, not even noticing when a new bowl of hot stew appeared. She had wolfed down the first one with hardly a thought.

"Lizzie, why do witches do this? Why would you go after someone just like the one that killed your mother?" Waving away her protest, "I know he did not throw the curse himself, but as surely as we sit here he killed her. And you Lizzie, look what he did to you."

"Good stew, Tom," she smiled, lowering her face and inhaling deeply, "Mmmm, nothing better than Tom's Magical Stew, right?" she grinned. "Now come on Tom, do you think you can tell me something I don't know? Do you really think that I have not thought this out? He does not know of the baby. I didn't tell him."

"Oh Lizzie," Tom sighed again, bringing up his hand to rub the bridge of his nose. He felt a headache coming on.

"No, Tom," she explained. "Listen, he thinks I am a Muggle. He didn't know I recognized his mark. We should be safe, at least as safe as he is. As long as he remains in the Dark Lord's favour, we'll be okay. If he fails, well … If he fails in that favour, if the Dark Lord indeed does come back, sees into his mind, then …" She did not need to finish that thought.

"Or," she added, looking up to him, "If someone at the Ministry gets nosey. I registered his birth, Tom. I know now it was foolish, but I wanted to register him in both worlds. I know now I shouldn't have done it, but at the time…" she let her voice fall off.

Picking up her spoon she again fell upon the stew.

"One more thing Tom." She heard his slight moan, but kept on. "If it comes through the Ministry, they will know I am a pure blood. They will only go after me to get him back. Either way, the Ministry or the Death Eaters, if it happens I need a way to get the baby out, a way to send him somewhere safe, somewhere where he will be cared for. I need to find a way to have him sent some place secret from even me. If I know, then they could get it out of me."

"Beth, you don't know what you are asking."

"Tom," she looked at him pleading, "I don't know if I could keep silent if they get me, if they hurt me. I don't know what they could make me say. They could use Veritaserum. I know that without magic I can't take care of him, not if anything happens. Tom, I can take care of him, I can hide his magic from the rest of the world, I can do it all, but I can't hide him. I have no place to send him, and no magic to do it. Please, I need help."

"If you hide him and the Ministry demands to know where he is, the son of a Death Eater, then what? They won't hurt him, Beth, but they will want to watch him to catch the father. You know that."

"Then I go to Azkaban," she shrugged. "They have already taken my magic Tom. They have taken my life, my education, my future, my inheritance, my right to a home. What else can I lose? I won't give him to them, I won't do it. I would rather we were dead than have him raised by a Death Eater."

Two weeks later, she was again at the Leaky Caldron. Tom leaned over and whispered in her ear to join two red headed wizards at the table in the far corner. He quieted her protests explaining that they excelled in trickery, and that's what she needed. A simple trick that could hide something valuable.

She sat and listened to their explanation of how the portkey would work, as one of them pushed a Medallion across to her. It was on a small silver chain. The baby had to wear it at all times, they told her. They explained to her which spell to evoke, confused when she pushed the medallion back at them, saying she could not evoke magic of any kind and would not take the chance that she would be near enough to be heard even if she could. She stressed that she needed a command that did not rely on her to activate it.

Deep in thought, the twin nearest the wall grabbed the Medallion, waved his wand in a complex pattern, and gave it back. Frowning as he did so.

"There," he forced a smile. "Now all you have to do is hope he never needs it. The portkey will activate in the presence of a Death Eater. I know what you are going to say, but you should not trust the father either. Tom, told us of his, his… affiliation. If they, the Death Eaters I mean, make any move toward you, or him," nodding toward the small bundle, "he will be gone in a wink." He said, giving her the famous Weasley wink and grin.

"Are you sure about this?" The next twin asked frowning down at the baby. "Are you sure you can just send him off like this. Don't you want to know where he is going to go?"

"Yes," she followed his eyes to the baby. "I can do this, and no, I cannot know the destination. If they … if they use force I don't know if I could keep it from them, and there are potions they could use."

"We could just have you take an unbreakable," one of the twins offered, confused when she cut him off with a wave.

"No, I have no magic. None. Get it now?" Her anger just a heartbeat away. "What if the Ministry comes for him?"

"Same thing," one said.

"Listen, we don't care where this baby came from." His face hard set and jaw clenched, looking remarkably grown for his young years.

"Nor do we care who the father is. All we care about is that there is a witch and a baby that needs protection. We may be pure blood, we may be young, but if you knew more about me and mine, you would know that none of this matters one damn." He raised his chin as he spoke.

"So," said the second twin. "Can you do this? Can you send your only child off to a stranger? You have to know, that if anything happens to you, anything fatal or not, there is a good chance that the Death Eaters will track you for a long time. If they do, if they decide to follow you, you may never see him again."

"So," said the second twin. "Are you absolutely sure? Be sure, because once this is done…"

"It cannot be undone," finished the first.

"Yes, I am sure. I can do this," she said firmly.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

Bet, as her friends now called her, unpacked the small pile of boxes, placing pots, pans, and other kitchen items into the appropriate cupboards. She wanted to finish unpacking the kitchen to feel completely moved in.

_The last room_, she smiled thinking to herself, _more than one_.

There were five rooms. One for her, one for Tobby, a small bath, kitchen, and a living room large enough to hold all her furniture. All of her mismatched furniture, consisting of a love seat, an over stuffed chair, two end tables and a lamp. The Kitchen held a table, two chairs, a real stove, a fridge that worked, and ample room for all her dishes. Her bedroom was equipped with a single mattress on the floor. That was all she needed.

Tobby's room, however, held his bed outfitted with blankets, and spread, and matching pillow shams, all in bright blue with moons and stars scattered across them in bright shimmering gold. He had a large upright dresser overflowing with clothes, a low bookcase, a tiny desk with matching chair, and a toy-box full of blocks, trucks, and more.

At least in this world, she mused, he can have things and be someone. In the Wizarding world, he was listed as Tobias Prince Gilstone, and as the son of a single witch he would have nothing.

She had written in Mr. Tobias Prince over the typed _Unknown_ that the clerk had inserted when she had registered his birth, and had listed his profession as teacher. Only the whereabouts were left as they'd been typed in, and she could not very well list Death Eater in the space provided.

At only two weeks old she had left Tobby in the shelter she'd been given room in, when she had made the trip to the Ministry to register him. When she had given her name, the clerk had looked up sharply with a raised eyebrow that seemed to disappear into her hairline.

"A bastard?" she had asked shrilly.

"My son," she had answered not being able to think of anything else to add until much later. Until she was walking back toward the shelter with tears coming from her eyes, muttering all the saucy comebacks that finally made it to her brain. Until a stranger, placing a kind hand on her arm had asked her if she was alright.

"I know I should have been more careful," she stormed at the strange woman who had touched her arm, then dissolved into crying hysterics. "I know I can't give him a proper life. With a witch for a mother, what do you expect? What would everyone expect me to do? I could not abort him now could I? I love him. He is my son!"

The stranger looked around and seeing a small café on the corner, lead the crying woman to one of the outside tables, ordered tea, and waited for her to calm down.

"Now dear," the kindly stranger had begun. "First let's get one thing perfectly clear. If you expect others to respect you, then you start by respecting yourself. Witch indeed, I do not believe in name-calling. Not to or about anyone."

Beth had looked up in total confusion. Then remembering that Muggles often used the word witch as a polite term for the harsh sounding bitch, she gave a small snort. The small sound grew into an outright, open-mouthed guffaw, until she finally reached over, patted the stranger's hand and chuckled.

"I needed that," she said through her tears. "Thanks."

They sat and talked for a long time. The woman, a middle aged, homey Mrs. Wilkes was not only kind but also extremely helpful. She told Bet about diploma requirements, free educational programs, testing programs, even offered to get the necessary enrolment forms for her.

She told Bet of job placement agencies, and government programs available.

"Bet, do you mind my asking something rather personal?" she asked, as if this whole conversation was not personal enough. "How are you not aware of this? How did you manage to get to this point without knowing? Even a social worker at the hospital would have given you this information at the child's birth."

Bet turned red, she felt the blush coming up her neck. Unable to stop it the burning she merely lowered her head.

"I had him alone, in the back of a van." She lowered her head still further until her chin all but rested on her chest. "It wasn't that bad. He came quickly, and a couple of the other girls I met helped. I didn't know what to do. The heal… I mean the doctors, didn't want to help. I… didn't have anywhere to go. "

"Are you not from here?" The woman asked. "You should known a hospital would have taken you in with no cost and that you could have had a midwife."

That was the moment when Mrs. Vivian Wilkes, widow and retired teacher, decided that the child she had never had was sitting before her. She was a religious woman, one who believed in the divine intervention of God, and hers was the God of fools and those that suffered.

Mrs. Vivian Wilkes, Viv, to her friends knew that the child of this woman would call her Grandmother. She smiled at the thought.

"Well Little Missy," she added her nickname, to Elizabeth's growing list of names. "The first order of business is to collect your son and belongings from that dreadful shelter. No fit place to raise a god fearing child, and then, after you unpack at my place, trust me I have ample room, we'll take you and your son to a doctor. I don't imagine he has had his shots yet … "

Elizabeth did not hear the rest of the words. If she did, she could not recall them. Mrs Wilkes had talked of school, training classes, doctor visits and so many other things that Beth did could not keep up. Blindly she followed in a flurry of activity she did not understand. All she knew was that a short eight months later, she was sitting in the kitchen of what she called home; looking at the lovely elderly face of a woman she now called Mum.

She had food in front of her, her son on her lap and a certificate in her hand saying she had passed her college entrance assessment exam.

Three years on, Bet could not imagine life without her Mum, or without her son. Every time she saw him she was thankful she had kept him, every time he scowled, like he did when she insisted he finish his dinner, his father's face came unbidden to her mind. Every time he would sneak into her bed as thunder rolled overhead, she had cried.

That was the only time she found herself crying anymore. Only when between awake and asleep, only when she was disturbed, only when that part of the brain that will not shut off completely wakes up and nudges the body to remember.

"Remember me?" it seemed always to ask, "please don't forget." As if she ever could.

Bet awoke early in the morning after moving into her new flat. She was excited about her new job. She had spent three years in study, managing to complete her four-year course early. She was now qualified to work in the hospital Pharmacy as an assistant. This would afford her the money to continue studying to become a full Pharmacist.

She could also afford her own place and much to Mum's chagrin, day-care for Tobby. She knew Mum loved babysitting. Beth also knew Mum needed time for herself. Although she had told her she could come and take Tobby out whenever she wanted, she knew the cut was deep.

Vivian Wilkes knew that this day would come, as surely as she had known the little one would call her Grandmother, she knew the day would come when her "family" would be gone.

That was fine with her. She still would see them, still cook Sunday dinner, still would beg Bet to go to church with her, and would still insist Tobby go to Sunday School.

She had never been a mother in the true sense of the word, never gone trough labour, never change a thousand diapers, or walked her own child at night when sleep would not come. She had enjoyed watching as the only daughter she knew had made it in the world. Bet had spent sleepless nights studying, fought the ghosts of her past and joined the world of the living.

Vivian had enjoyed and revelled at the growth in both mind and spirit that had come taken over Bet. She was as proud as any mother could be.

Still, it had taken Vivian a little while to get used to being without them on a daily basis. She had just thrown in a load of laundry when the knock came to the front door. Climbing the basement steps slowly, she held on to the handrail a little more tightly than she used to. Age was threatening to be unkind to her. She opened the door to a tall lean man, dressed all in black. As she started to speak to him, he roughly pushed her back into the house and followed her in, his head snapping around quickly to see if anyone else was in the room.

"Beth, Beth Stone," he glared at her, his dark eyes drilling into her.

"She isn't here. And who may I ask are you?" Vivian Wilkes stood her ground and shot back at him.

"That is none of your concern." He snapped looking down on the old woman standing with her hands on her hips glaring at him.

"Oh, I see," she spat right back. Only she did not see at all. "And just who are you to her? Who are you that you can just barge in here and de…"

"Listen woman," he interrupted, not letting her finish. "You only have a small amount of time. Tell her she is not safe."

"What?" Vivian took a step back, her hand going to her collar.

"Tell her, tell her….." he fought for words this muggle woman would understand. He had been prepared to tell Beth that he was a wizard, and that Lucius was after her, that Lucius had learned where she was, but now he was at a loss.

"Is it the baby's father? Is he after her?" the old woman that Tobby called Grandmother begged to know.

"The baby's… the baby's what?" he thought he had misunderstood, hoped he had misunderstood.

"Is it the baby's father? Did he find out? Is he trying to get him back?" Vivian at last put into words her one fear in this world. That the child's father would show up on the doorstep demanding the child he had never seen.

"No, it is Beth," he sighed. "Tell her to meet me, meet me tonight at 7:00 pm. Tell her to meet me where she first kept me waiting. She will know where I mean, and who I am."

Turning to the door he added, "Tell her to leave the baby, she can collect it later." He looked around quickly, to see if there was evidence of Beth's presence, and an old woman's lies.

Vivian walked over to the sofa and sat heavily. She tried to figure out what had just happened, but none of it got any clearer as she thought of it. Surely Bet, kind gentle Bet, would not have had anything to do with that man. That monster of a man who demanded…. demanded what she was not sure.

She returned to her laundry watching the clock. Bet would get off work at 3:30pm. By the time she picked up Tobby and got home, it would be close to 4:30. She would go for a visit. She needed to find out what was happening. She thought of the man and how he had demanded Bet meet him. She had to think about this, she had to think if she should even give her the message.

Suddenly hearing a crack of thunder, she went upstairs to close the windows looking at the clear blue sky as she closed the sash. _Strange_, she thought. She had planned to hang the laundry out to dry, but if rain were coming it would have to wait.

Later, when Bet heard the door she hesitated to answer. She had never received guests at such a late hour and was a little scared at the prospect.

She had planned on Mum coming for dinner. She had been looking forward to the first dinner in her new place. She had stories of the first day at a new job to share. When Mum had not come, Bet had been disappointed. She had put away the leftovers, tucked Tobby in for the night and was preparing for bed.

She made a mental note to get in touch with the phone company in the morning to find out when the service would available. As she approached the door, a loud voice cut through to chill her to the bone.

"Ministry of Magic Miss Gilstone, I suggest you open the door before we do," said a low deep voice.

She opened the door, steeping back to allow them entry. All colour drained from her face, her knees threatened to let loose, and her arm was shaking so badly she almost lost her grip on her cane.

"Please Sir," she whispered, eyes down, always eyes down she remembered. "My son is sleeping just down the hallway. I don't want him to waken."

The tallest of the Aurors cast a silencing spell toward the hallway. She nodded her thanks, not trusting her voice.

"There has been an attack in London. The attack was at a location now known to be in association with you. They used the same unforgivable that you once did. We need to talk," said a large, dark skinned Auror.

"Attack?" she whispered, daring not think. "Attack where? What kind of attack?

Already feeling tears fall on her cheeks, already knowing, she backed away from the tall man.

"The Dark Mark was found over the home of ... Let's see here, it was a muggle house. Oh, here it is,' he said, smiling as he found his notes. "It was the home of one Vivian Wilkes."

Elizabeth only remembered the confusion she had felt at the sound of water rushing in her ears. It blocked out everything else so it couldn't be a mere drip, and if she could hear the approaching flood waters, then everyone should be able to hear it as well. She stepped back, confused and looking for a way out.

If the flood was as fast and wild as it sounded, they should all move to higher dryer ground. She looked around and did not know where she was. Looking up at the fiery pink and red hair of the youngest Auror, she waved her hand at her, then turned around before the water came and pushed her to the ground. Her knees hit the floor, she felt Malfoy's whip, and saw the blackness walk up to her.

Tonks looked around at the others "Blimey, This one's crazy, is what she is." She laughed.

Waving her wand over the fallen witch, Tonks went to move her to the small love seat in the living room. When Bet did not move, Tonks shook her wand as if to flick off beads of water, and tried again.

"That will not work Tonks." The one named Shacklelbolt offered in his rich baritone voice. "When they stripped her magic, they also put a spell on her to block magic. Spells _for_ her do not work, now if you want to practice a little Crucio that would work because it is done _to_ her, not _for_ her."

"Well then, Shacks, just toss her over your shoulder, we can't very well leave her sprawled out on the kitchen floor now can we?" Tonks snorted a laugh at him.

He did as requested, picking her up and carrying her over to the sofa. He noticed small beads of sweat on her forehead.

"I don't think this one is going to be much help. Stripped of magic, small children in the next room, not even a wand," he puzzled. "I wonder what Death Eaters would want of her now after all this time."

"I don't know," Tonks looked down at the fainted girl. "It doesn't seem fair. She gets rid of a Death Eater and this is what they do to her. I mean the Ministry. Look at her Shacks. Tell me she looks like a dangerous criminal."

"I know, Tonks, I know." he frowned, his voice deepening. "From what I remember it was mostly the testimony of the mother that convinced the judges she could not be trusted. Even Dumbledore testified for her. Bloody hell, Snape even offered up an explanation. Couldn't be proved though, all they had was Snape's word, and you know … who would believe him back then? He had only just been accepted back himself, about twenty, twenty two at the time."

"Yeah," Tonks sighed. "Maybe when this is all over some of the cases can be reopened."

"Sure Tonks," he sighed, "If any of them are left."

"What about that?" He tipped his head toward the hallway, indicating the presence of the child in the next room.

"Yeah," Tonks sighed, "I guess Muggle life has its benefits. Can't have one of those without a wizard and live in our world."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

Tonks had waited with the sleeping woman until she woke. It was close to 4 am, and it had taken some time for Elizabeth to make her surroundings match where her mind had gone.

At first, she had thought she'd awakened in her childhood bed. She was fully dressed ready for the day. No, she knew that was wrong. She'd tried to turn over, finding her legs hanging over a too short surface. She'd floated back to a dirty van, where the only thing to lie on had been a too short bench seat. No, that wasn't right, the face of a man with silver hair floated in front of her, a half mask of silver peeking out of a closet, the Dark Mark on his arm… her father laying dead at her feat.

"Nooo," she screamed sitting up. "No, don't let them, please," she sobbed.

Tonks was there as fast as she could move. She held the girl's shoulders until she was fully awake.

"You awake now luv?" she questioned cheerfully. "Must have been a bad dream. After a scare like this it is not uncommon."

"Yes, I guess so," she looked towards the clock.

"Yeah," Tonks went on. "It's a late one, almost light out. I'll be leaving then."

As she started for the door, she stopped and turned.

"One last thing we need to know," she asked, her eyebrow rising.

"Yes?" Beth said.

"Who is the boy's father?" Tonks voice took on a harder tone.

"Wh… Why do you… I mean what… what does that have to do with this?" Beth stammered.

"Well, you see, we really don't know yet," Tonks explained. "The name you listed as the father does not exist, at least in the Wizarding world, and if he were a Muggle, well, you listed him as a pure blood. Nothing matches up." She finished by looking intently at Elizabeth Gilstone.

"I may look like a case for a Muggle Carnival girl, but I assure you, if you don't tell me what I need to know, you and your son won't last the week. This is not a joke. This is real girl. You have been in the Muggle world for a long time now, but not so long as you forgot what the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters will do. The war is coming to a head girl, pick a side, and pick it within 12 hours. After that we will no longer offer you protection." Tonk's voice took on authority as she spoke.

"One last thing, be here if you want protective custody. If you're not here, we will consider you, and yours," she added nodding toward the hallway, "part of the problem."

Lifting the silencing spell, Tonks left in a crack of thunder. Elizabeth Gilstone started at the clock. It was 4:37 am.

Elizabeth pulled her legs up on the cushion, and drawing her knees under her chin she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She could not fall apart now. She wanted to rant against the injustice of it all, break things, and make someone pay for what they had done. Mum did nothing but help people. She never hurt anyone, only helped, loved, and put her trust in God.

Elizabeth spat at the floor. God, what good did he do in the end? What kind of God would allow truly evil men to kill, to rape, to …? She had to stop this train of thought. She had to get ready, for what she did not know. Perhaps in getting ready she would find the answer.

Hurrying into the shower, she made a mental list of things she could not leave behind. She had a very strong advantage over someone else in her position. She knew the difference between need and want.

She dressed in layers. She put a long sleeve shirt over a short tee, and then pulled on her jumper. A pair of cargo pants over a pair of tight fitting jeans. An extra set of knickers and bra in one pocket, Extra socks in another. Strapping on her cane she hurried to her closet to retrieve what she needed from a small metal box she had planned on keeping on the top shelf.

Unzipping a side pocket on her cargo pants then placed her Degree Certificate from the University, her son's Muggle birth certificate, and a small picture of the only man she had ever loved. She glanced down at the picture remembering taking it from his desk as she waited for that taxi that last night. It went into her pocket, zipped in with her other treasures.

The other zipped pocket held two toothbrushes, a small bar of soap, and as many energy bars as she could cram into the space. She went to the mattress on the floor and lifting one corner she slid out the envelope she'd put there, it had both Muggle and Wizard money. Not much, but it would keep her eating for a few days.

It was time to get Tobby.

She dressed him the same way as she had herself, in as many layers as she thought he could hold. Only when it came to picking out the items for his small pockets did she hesitate. Unzipping her own pocket, she removed the small black and white Muggle photograph, showing a teenaged Tobias Prince, and placed it in his son's pocket. It would have to do. It was all she had to give.

Filling his remaining pockets with more energy bars, some carrots, and two small juice boxes, she took one look around at her home of two days and taking her son by the hand, they walked out of the back door.

She had considered going into the protective program of the Ministry, for all of thirty seconds, but seeing how it had worked for her before, she had less than no trust in them.

They had taken her to a place on the outskirts of Manchester. She had been handed over to a couple that she discovered later were both squibs. Pure Blood Squibs who considered wandless witches of any age worthless. They were not going to spend what little money the Ministry gave them for her upkeep on a worthless education. Instead, they provided her a small room to sleep in, two meals a day, and enough work to keep her from thinking.

They had not harmed her, not physically. The man had enjoyed taunting her, forcing her to look at photographs. Photographs that contained pictures of couples in sexual positions, and what he called games, while telling her what a dirty little girl she was, his hand working furiously under his robes.

When the Ministry had stopped sending them her monthly stipend, when she turned sixteen, they had told her to leave. She had taken only what she could wear and fit in her pockets and had never looked back.

If Elizabeth had looked back, she would have realized that when they tossed her out with nothing, they taught her the best lesson she had gotten to date. The difference between need and want was a lesson few learned, the importance of making the proper choice.

She had wanted Tobias Prince. She had wanted his touch, his mouth, and his arms around her. She had made perhaps the worse choice of her life when she had gone to bed with him, when she had made love to him. She'd fulfilled everyone's predictions. She had made herself a whore. Nevertheless, the result was the best of her life. Tobby.

She needed Tobby. She needed him the way the earth needed the rain, the way a newborn baby needed mother's milk. She needed him to keep her very soul alive.

That is why she ran.

They had almost made it across the yard, from which they could have gone out to the main pavement and run into the just opening shopping district, yelling and sreaming for help, when several cracks of thunder found them. She turned toward the loudest of the cracks and saw a Death Eater standing tall, pointing his wand at her. To his left was a shorter, heavier version of the same man, again with his wand raised.

Not waiting to see the others, she pushed Tobby forward as she dove to the ground rolling to the right.

"Run, Tobby run…," she commanded him.

He turned away from her running. They had played this game every Sunday morning while Grandmum fixed dinner. She would pretend to fall, or grasp her tummy falling down. She would yell for him to run, and when he did, she would sit up smiling, applauding him and laughing.

He had learned his lessons as well as she had hers.

She watched his back getting smaller, knowing he was waiting to hear her applauses, her cry of a job well done, when suddenly his portkey activated as planned, and he disappeared from sight.

Standing, with a small smile of victory on her face, she turned to greet her adversaries.

Tonks found her later that day lying on her side, curled into herself, gasping for air. The house was all but destroyed, her belongings burned. A shield cast to keep out curious Muggles, and the Dark Mark hanging overhead. She turned her head to get a better view of Bet's mouth. She needed to watch her lips, since her voice was too weak to hear.

"Where is he Elizabeth?" Tonks tried again. "Where did they take him?"

"No, sent," Beth tried to say again, "Sent away."

"You sent him away?" Tonks looked up at Shackelbolt's stern face.

"Yes," she whispered, choking on her own blood.

"Where, to whom?" Tonks tried again.

"Don't know," Beth stuttered.

Tonks heard, "Don't, no."

"Damn it woman tell us now, tell us the father's name." Shackelbolt's normally calm demeanor was crumbling.

Lifting the girl in his arms, he headed to St. Mungos. What she needed was a healer. He sighed knowing that whatever time she may have left may be in pain and no Muggle healer would be consulted, and that without one, the magical healers could not help.

He needed to get a hold of Dumbledore fast. He may be about the only one left with enough power at the Ministry to get the stripping spell lifted, or at least modified to enable the healer to help her.

"TONKS," he yelled back over his shoulder, "get Dumbledore to St. Mungo's, " he bellowed before disappearing.

Tonks shook her head, slowly, her hair falling to a dull brown. Maybe the witch was not worth her trouble. Running away like that, obviously running away from the side of light, but that little boy he had no choice.

Later that day, Elizabeth Gilstone lay in a private ward in the basement of St Mungo's as Dumbledore fought for the removal of the stripping.

The private ward was not ordered because of special treatment, nor had enough galleons been paid for special care, rather it was thought by the administrator that she did not belong in St. Mungo's wards. Murderess'and whores were not treated at St Mungo's. This girl, this woman, was not only a known murderer, but a known and documented whore as well. The registering of her son's birth had done the documenting for them.

When she had been there a week, not opening her eyes for the first three days, only awake for a few moments at a time after that, Dumbledore had convinced a panel of judges to lift part of the Stripping spell, after all, he fought, since a magical spell had injured her, a magical spell should relieve her. So, against the hospital's Ministry appointed Administrator's opinion, the spell had been lifted, in part.

Dumbledore had spent the night at her bedside. Silently keeping vigil for the girl no one had wanted, and the woman no one could help. Using his skill as a healer, he had healed the old injury to her hip from too many beatings, allowing her leg to straighten and strengthen, and in a moment of rage seldom seen in him, he had destroyed the cane on which she had become so reliant.

He had thought of her often over the years, sometimes gazing into the faces of the first years at the annual sorting, and wondering what had become of her, where had they taken her. What else had been done to her?

With a long sigh, he returned to Hogwarts, praying to the old gods to watch over the little first year that no one could help. On the tenth day, Elizabeth woke to the sound of raised voices and angry shouts in the hallway.

"Out of my way you over grown lump of a mud sucking ZiltZu fish." A small shrill voice echoed, becoming clearer as the door opened and a small, owlish looking Medi-Witch entered the room.

"I will attend to any patient in this hospital I want, and she has been here far too long without the proper medical attention. Now stop belly aching and stay out of my way. If you don't want her here let me heal her so she can leave." The little witch roared.

Huffing over to the bed the small witch raised her wand doing some basic diagnostic spells. A couple of waves and a smile later she was done.

"Get up and dressed, and then get out quick," Poppy lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "Good luck to you lassie, but hurry before they catch on."

Turning once again and leaving quickly, Elizabeth heard the shrill voice again shouting orders down the hallway. Wasting no time Elizabeth dressed in her layered clothing, looked around the now empty room, and left.

She felt free. She felt like skipping, if she could have remembered how. She did remember that as a child whenever she was excited she would hop from foot to foot. She stopped now, on a crowded London Street, in the middle of the financial district and did just that, grinning all the while.

Feeling better than she had for a long time, she headed for the Leaky Caldron. All she needed now was her son back and she could go on.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

Elizabeth did not have a cloak on when she arrived at the Leaky Caldron this time. She would have to get a cloak or a set of robes if she was going to continue any further. She hoped Tom would help her. He was standing in his usual place. His eyes went wide when he saw her, his grin spread from ear to ear.

"Well, well, well, what is this I see?" he asked, spinning her around in a complete circle before planting a large, sloppy fatherly kiss to the middle of her forehead.

"Look at you all ready to go running in a race." She smiled as Tom turned his eyes from her right leg he had been looking at, to the large smile on her face.

"So, I know you wouldn't be here just to show me what I am missing," he laughed easily. "What can I do for you besides feed you?"

"Oh Tom, I am sorry, it seems the only time I do get here is when I need, or want something of you." She pouted at him, reminding him yet again of the young girl that he used to see shopping in the Alley.

"All I need this time is the use of a cloak, and for you to tell me how to find those young boys that helped me with my first problem. I need to collect my son. The Portkey worked like a charm… which of course it was," she laughed at the play on words between Muggle and Magical.

Reaching behind the counter he tossed her an old cloak, a tad dirty but perfectly fine. As she wrapped it around herself and started to put up the hood, he told her of the twins she had gone to over 4 years ago. By the time he had finished with his Weasley updates, and stories of their latest triumphs and disasters, she was sitting at the counter and half way through her second bowl of Tom's famous stew.

"Well, I should wonder why you stay away so long at a time, the way you can put away that stew." He laughed as she puffed out her cheeks, and crossed her eyes to indicate how full she was.

"Seriously Bet," he said using her Muggle name, "what is going on?"

"The Death Eaters came Tom," she had lowered her voice, "The Portkey worked. It worked Tom. After he was gone, well, lets just say they took out a little of their anger on me, but he got away Tom, he made it."

"What if it was him they were after Beth?" he questioned growing quiet. "Is it safe to get him so soon?"

"I've thought about that. They never asked where he was or where he had gone. They never tried to trace him. Hell, Tom, they were there to punish me for something. They didn't even attempt to, you know, they didn't try to …" She lowered her voice still further. "They didn't even try to rape me, or to kill me. It was just a bunch of Death Eaters, they beat me, used a few curses, and left. It's as if they were there to teach me a lesson, or to show someone else, someone what they can do. But they never went after Tobby, they never went for him."

"Maybe they were of afraid what this Wizard would do if they did hurt you Bet," he cautioned, "I know of very few wizards a Death Eater would fear."

"Not now, Tom," she laughed, "They came to punish me, and look what happened. I get to skip! My leg has not felt this good since I was twelve."

Suddenly her hand flew to her mouth.

"My Gods, Mum, they got Mum and I sit here laughing. She never knew Tom, she never knew about any of this." Lowering her head she whispered, "I did love her Tom, I can't think about this, about being without her. She gave her life for me, and did not even know it. I can't even cry for her anymore."

"It's okay girl, if she were here she would say the same, I liked her too and never even met her. I am sure, when things get sorted, when you have Tobby and have settled down, it will hit you. Bet, let her go, cry later, you don't have time for it now," he said kindly.

Tom could not help smiling as he walked to the brick wall, touched the bricks to let the wall open, and watched as she, well, as she almost ran to the Weasley's shop.

Fred and George both listened as she explained how the Portkey had worked, how wonderfully to it had responded, how brilliant they had been. The looks on their faces told her she should just shut up and listen to them talk. Listen as the bottom fell out of her world.

When she had finished she nervously stood up, smoothed the lumpy jumper over her too many layers of clothes. She licked her bottom lip, taking short sharp breaths.

"Okay boys, just tell me where he went and I will pick him up. I mean I am sure he is looking for me. Is he all right? I hope it wasn't a problem." Her words came too quickly, too stumbling, she could not stop talking, she knew when she stopped and they started, her world would end and end badly.

"So, there we have it then, just let me…" She watched as the twins came toward her, one on each side, but she continued her rant… " He is four, you know, but looks five, well will be five in a couple of months, a tall, five, knows some of his Latin already… at lot of Latin really .. Wherever he is… Wherever… Please…." She would have fallen if one twin on each arm had not supported her. She would have fallen into a hysterical heap on the floor.

She knew, she knew, the look in their eyes, the tightness of their lips, bookends holding up a horror novel, she knew.

"Get Mom, Fred." George said quietly.

George transfigured a small bed from the chair she had been sitting on, a pillow from an empty milk carton, and a blanket from his handkerchief. Fred laid her down, sitting on one of the other chairs; he watched her take sobbing breaths as she turned to her stomach, burying her face in the pillow.

Molly was in the store and had run to the back storage room within three minutes. She was not sure what had happened to the boy, Tobby she thought his name was. She had known the twins had made an escape Portkey years before. Ever since they had discovered a way to do this, the Order had been using a similar key in case one of their members were injured too badly to active a Portkey manually.

"Mom!" George jumped up. "The Portkey worked, it took the boy away, but he should have shown up at the Burrow ten days ago."

"George, you and Fred, floo the Burrow. Do not go there! Do you hear me? Tell every one to get out, then floo Albus. The wards are breached, or the unplotable spells have been broken. It's not safe, now go." She shouted with a fury that could only be known as Weasley. "That infernal clock should have known."

Turning to her sons, she chewed on her lip as she thought for a moment.

"Make sure you let Bill know, and owl your father not to come home tonight for dinner, make sure no one comes for dinner. Then just take the Burrow off the network after everyone gets out. Hurry."

"Oh my poor child." She bent over Elizabeth, stroking her hair. "Let me tell you what we do know, it is not all bad child, now sit up here." She instructed, as she scooted down the bed a bit giving Elizabeth room to struggle up to a sitting position.

"Now, first off…" she began, "this is not the time for tears. We have no time for tears. Your son's medallion was to bring him to me." She smiled at Elizabeth's shocked face.

"Yes, yes I know, the twins should have told no one, but if your Tobby were to turn up on my doorstep, I would need to know he was coming. Now wouldn't I? What with wards and all? If you are going to ask, it's because I have seven of my own, so one more would not have mattered," she smiled.

Elizabeth could only nod.

"So, now where was I … Yes? We Weasleys all belong to the Order. Do you know what that is my dear? More about that later, but it means we fight for the light. Anyway, the Burrow, that is the name for where we live my dear, after having seven children and all. Well, we need to put that on the back burner as well… anyway, now let me start over." She sighed, looked into Elizabeth's confused face and spoke calmly.

"The Portkey, all Portkeys, will only transport to where they are set. A Safe Portkey, that the boys came up with, will only send you to a safe location. Since the reason for yours was safety from Death Eaters, the place itself must be warded against Death Eaters. If your son did not show up on my doorstep it means that the Portkey knew it was not safe. That is why I was so flustered. I have a husband and seven children, their spouses, and many loved ones on their way to the Burrow for dinner. If you had not shown up when you did, they could have all been killed. Thank you my dear. Thank you. We did not know it was breached." Molly's eyes began to tear. "It must have been removed for some reason we don't know about yet. We'll have to find out."

Waving her hand in the air to indicate that the tears were to be ignored she continued.

"These kinds of Portkey have a safety catch. A second destination or a sort of return to sender option built in. Again, in your case these safety catches were turned off. The second destination was a house in London, also breeched upon the death of one of our own. The spell on the Portkey would no longer work because the owner of the safe house no longer lives. A Sirius Black, perhaps you have heard of him?" Elizabeth knew this was not a question she should answer, to it was just the way Molly stored information.

"The alternative safe guard, sort of like a return to sender option, was turned off from the beginning. Wouldn't do any good just to send the child back to a pack of Death Eaters now would it?"

Here Molly sighed, "When all else fails the traveler is sent home. However, from what I understand you have no home. You have been disinherited, so there are no grandparents, no siblings, so no aunts, uncles, and other family members. Only you." Molly stopped for a few seconds letting all this sink in.

"Elizabeth, who is the father?" she asked softly.

"Tobias, Tobias Prince," she said evenly. "He doesn't know about the child. I never told him"

"Why ever not child? Why would you deny a father his son?" Molly was shocked.

"Oh Mrs. Weasley," she began.

"No, no I am either Mum or Molly, No Mrs. Weasley here my dear," Molly chided.

"Okay, Molly," Elizabeth sighed." Tobias never really wanted me. I know it sounds awful, but he told me, he said once that he was not a nice man that I should not make more of our relationship than it was. He said he was leaving, would not look back, that I should just…"

"Now, dear, we just have to sort this out."

"I am sorry Molly, It's just that I did love him, it was hard to watch him walk away, and it was hard not telling him about his son," she said looking down at her lap.

"Well my dear," Molly smiled, "I think he knows now."

"So, you think Tobby was sent to his father?" she asked looking up at Molly.

"Yes, most certainly. If he is named on the Birth Certificate as the father, that is where your son will be," she smiled.

"Correct as always Molly," Albus stood at the door, peering over his glasses.

"The Ministry would have an idea where the father would be, or why not just send an owl? I think after ten days with a four year old who looks like him, he may have figured a couple of things out," Molly chuckled.

"I would think so, Molly." Albus smiled looking at Elizabeth intently. "Molly, go on now, I am sure your family is busily making new arrangements at Grimmauld, and Elizabeth and I have some catching up to do."

"Headmaster?" she asked as soon as they were alone. "If Molly is correct, about the Portkey I mean, about only taking him to a safe place. What would happen if his father is a Death Eater?"

Albus looked at her sadly, his eyes no longer held his usual mirth.

"I don't know my child," he said patting her hand. "I just do not know."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

The first owl came back about one hour after it had left. Elizabeth jumped to the storage area's only window, franticly grabbing at the parchment tied around the bird's leg, not realizing it was the same one she had tied herself.

"Well," Molly frowned, "Perhaps it was the spelling, or perhaps your accent is a little off, you have spent a bit too long with the Muggles." Once again using a bit of string to attach the parchment, Molly sent the owl away with a wave of her ever-moving hands, and a clearly pronounced Tobias Prince.

The second time the owl returned Molly deemed the problem to be in the owl. She dispatched a new bird. The result was the same.

"Beth," Albus asked, giving no indication of his suspicions. "Are you sure that a Tobias Prince is the father of your child?"

"What?" she sputtered, her face flamed red. "How dare you, how dare you. What are you accusing me of? You think I don't even know who the father of my child is?"

"No, no, no child." He rose, quickly putting his arm around her shoulder and leading her to a chair. "What I was asking, although not very well it does seem, is are you sure his name is Tobias Prince?"

"Since wizards do not carry photo ID cards like Muggles, how would I do that? How do I know what your name is? He told me his name, that's how I know."

"What do you say Molly? Do you think one of your fine sons could bring this beautiful young witch up to Hogwarts tomorrow? The stripping was modified enough I think, a simple floo can be used to get her into Hogwarts and bypass our security wards. I will have a couple of the Order members comb over the lists of incoming first years. He should be with us in six, or seven years' time. I am sure the son of such a bright witch will be on one of them."

"Would the son of a documented whore be allowed on that list Headmaster?" she asked coldly. "Would the bastard son of a known murderess be welcomed?"

"My dear," Dumbledore responded, all pretence gone, "you will find that all are welcomed at Hogwarts, and list or no list your son will be welcomed."

"Go on Headmaster. Go on, finish," Beth challenged him.

"No, his name would not be on the list if that were the case," he finished truthfully. "However, when the time comes we will have to change that."

"Could the father be dead?" Molly offered hopefully, then looked abashed at her suggestion.

"Headmaster?" Beth turned to him in fear. "What would happen if he were?"

"Could he have been a Muggle, Beth? Perhaps you were mistaken about him being a Wizard," Molly offered. "Many of them wear tattoos."

Elizabeth just gave Molly an incredulous look.

"I am afraid, my child, that the next few days, will be long ones," Albus sighed, choosing to ignore the question she had asked.

"Headmaster?" her voice still cold, but now cutting sharp "If this wonderful portkey would, with all the fail safes built in, have sent Tobby to his father, only the father listed on his birth registration does not exist, and is a known Death Eater, where is my son?"

Knowing she wanted the truth, but needed a lie, he answered evenly, "I don't know child, but I am sure in a short time we will find him."

The next morning Bill Weasley collected her from the Leaky Cauldron for the meeting at Hogwarts. After she had entered the floo and grabbed his arm, Bill had tossed down the powder, saying loud and clear, "Hogwarts, Headmasters Office."

When they were still standing there a full two minutes later, Tom handed them some more powder and suggested a different destination.

"I've flooed before," Beth said. "I know it's not a lack of magic."

This time Bill called clearly, "Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall's Office."

By the fifth time, he was grinding his teeth as he grabbed Beth's arm and yanked her out the back of the Leaky Cauldron. Pulling her close, they apparated to Hogwarts' main gate.

"Well, that was interesting as bloody hell," he fumed. Hearing her small chuckle, he reddened. "Uhmm, sorry about the language, they really need to get that thing fixed. "

They proceeded to brush the layers of soot off themselves, which had accumulated during the many attempts to floo. Bill stepped over onto Hogwarts grounds turning to find Beth flat on her back a few meters away. Rushing over and helping her up, he looked up to the castle.

"He said he was lifting the wards," Bill muttered as he squatted down to help her.

She turned from Bill, shame evident on her face, turning her eyes down. She grew even more embarrassed, her neck and face getting redder as he helped her up.

"Here comes Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape now. We must have triggered the wards trying to get in, he can explain what happened."

"Child, Child," Dumbledore called racing to the gate far faster than a man of his age should be able to, "I don't know what could have happened. I was forgetful indeed not to alter the admission requirements."

Professor Snape striding at his side took in the sight of Bill Weasley, immediately looking at his travelling companion.

"Mr. Weasley," he nodded curtly. "I assume you have not joined the ranks of the Death Eaters within the past month. Nor are you an undesirable, at least in the pure definition of the word. Therefore, it must be your travelling companion that is questionable enough to have tripped not only this ward, but the floo as well."

He looked at the other figure that stood with Bill. He watched as small hands gripped the outside edges of the hood, pulling it slowly down to her shoulders. He saw as she looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Yes, Tobias, that would be me." Ice dripped from her words, and flashed in her eyes, as she turned her head slowly to confront Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, one person she thought to count on as a true friend. "Death Eaters and undesirables not welcomed? My, my, however did he get in?"

Stepping in as close as she could to Severus, she spat it his face. "Bastard, if you have hurt him, if one hair…"

Unable to finish her thoughts, unable to comprehend how Albus had stood by and not warned her that even the name Tobias was a lie, she turned and fled.

Severus felt frozen in place. He forgot to breathe. If he had been alone he would have fallen to his knees in an attempt to pull air to his lungs. Instead, he crossed his arms across his chest and stared after her keeping his face blank, fighting to keep his composure. He stared at her back, not noticing her steady gait, her lack of cane, just as he had not noticed the aging of her face, her haunted look or the anger in her eyes.

Albus waved Bill inside, with whispered instructions to join the staff for the morning meal. He watched Severus Snape, his loyal potions professor and trusted friend, and knew Severus now had to deal with this alone. Walking to Snape he stopped for a moment, and placing his hand on his forearm, he shook his head slowly again.

"It would have been easier to trust my boy," he sighed and followed Bill into the castle.

Lifting his chin and staring down the path, Severus could not place her here at Hogwarts, standing inside the gates. He thought of returning to his office, and the fact that his first class still needed the ingredients set out for the potion they would be brewing. He turned, intent on returning to his office, then stopped, turned and looked up the road to Hogsmeade again.

_A Muggle_? he thought, _a crippled Muggle_? Only, she was no longer crippled. She was no longer a crippled Muggle who could not see the castle.

Long forgotten memories clicked into place. The old manners, the averted eyes, the way she carried herself in Canterbury many years ago, the way she passed her hand over his tea cup before serving it to him, something he remembered his mother, and other pure-bloods doing.

She had never reached for a light switch. She had always sought out matches for candles. Even at Spinner's End, he had never seen her reach for the lights.

Raising his hand to his face, wiping her spittle off, he stared at his hand. As he wiped his hand on his waistcoat and remembered her. He started to run down the path.

.

.

From the first sight of him walking toward the gate, she had known. She had seen that long legged gait before. She had watched for it on the crowded streets of London. She had walked past her old rooming house hoping to see it. She had watched Tobby run with the same stride, the same purposeful step.

When she had heard his voice, heard Bill call him by a different name, cold fury had replaced all feeling in her. She'd sent her son to Tobias, not this cold-eyed, robe- billowing Snape. Not this bastard who stood coldly next to the Headmaster she no longer trusted.

She had never been so scared in her life. She could not imagine where Tobby had been sent. If the father did not exist, does the son? The thoughts ran through her mind as old tales and children's stories of monsters and the netherworld came back to her.

She thought that if Tobby were hungry, dirty and cold, she would be thankful. If he would just b_e_. She held her heaving stomach as she lost breakfast, as wave after wave of nausea ran through her. She fell to a grassy patch beside the path, crawled to the far side of a large tree, hugged her knees and tried to calm herself.

The words of the Weasley boy came back to her. "Are you sure you can do this?"

Severus had missed his breakfast by the time he reached Hogsmeade, and for the first time in his teaching history, he also missed his first lesson. He had no plans of making it to his second or third either. He would look until he found her. It had taken him months to find her before, only to have missed her by days, it would not happen again.

It was nearly noon when he found her, tucked behind a tree, along the side of the road, not twenty meters from where he had already passed three times. He found her hugging her knees, rocking, staring ahead, but unseeing. He knelt down beside her and called her name softly.

He had seen her approach this state before, had known at the time that she was breakable, this time he knew she had gone too far.

He placed two fingers under her chin and lifted her face to his. He sighed seeing no response to his touch. Saying her name gently he let her head fall back down onto her chest and knew he could not leave her here, or return her to wherever she was living.

One arm slid under her knees, the other around her shoulders. Picking her up, he carried her all the way to the front gate. With a wandless flick of magic, he lifted the restrictions on the gate and took her to the hospital wing.

He banged the doors to the hospital ward open with a well-placed kick, walking to Poppy instead of one of the curtained off beds.

"Here," he said. "She … she needs a potion."

Looking over his shoulder to the Headmaster who had followed him in, she raised her eyebrow in question. Albus nodded to the Medi-Witch, placing a slender finger to his lips. She reached for the girl, looking up into the Potions Masters face.

"Severus dear boy, you need to let me take her now," she whispered. "Albus? I need your help here."

Minerva stepped up placing one hand on Severus' shoulder, as Albus walked around to face him.

"Severus my boy," he said in a loud, clear voice, "Let Poppy finish up with her while we wait over there." He indicated a curtain-enclosed area at the end of the ward.

Severus looked up into Albus' blue eyes, and down at Beth, at once confused. "Yes, of course Albus," he said gruffly. "I happened upon her on my way to Hogsmeade. She appears in need of medical attention. I shall be in my office if you need assistance. I have work to do."

Poppy had laid Beth down on one of the beds. Running her wand over the witch, she quickly ran diagnostic spells. Grabbing a different wand from her pocket, she made several more passes, rechecking for injuries or potions that may have already been used. She then went to her stores for several vials, and sitting on the bed, she raised the witch's head and began pouring liquids down her throat, messaging Beth's neck muscles to help her swallow.

When she was finished, she walked over to where Albus and Minerva sat on transfigured overstuffed chairs. Waving her wand to transfigure another chair from a bedpan, she sat next to Albus, waiting for Minerva to finish pouring before beginning her report.

"Now Poppy," he peered over half moon spectacles, "How is our newest ward?"

"Not well, I am afraid," she lowered her voice although there was no one else in the hospital wing "she still doesn't seem to have any magic so it appears that modification you asked for didn't do much. I am not sure any of the potions can really help. I gave her some potions that are nothing more than for nourishment. She has just shut down."

"What are you not saying?" Albus frowned.

"The mind can only take so much, like the Longbottoms, only when the Longbottoms lost their minds it was due to an external force. I do not find this here." She looked back to where Beth lay and shook her head.

"I don't know anything about this girl's present situation. All I know is what I have been told about her childhood, and then nothing until she was brought into St. Mungo's. All I can tell you is that she has had a break. The longer she stays wherever it is she has gone, the harder it will be to get her back.

"She needs to be where she can be watched. I will not have her tucked away out of sight. What do you think that little trick at St. Mungo's was the last time she was there? Hiding her away in a basement ward, indeed. Albus, you need to find someplace to house her."

"She has been listed as an undesirable since eleven years of age, my dear. The Ministry will not allow her here, not around the children," Albus said wearily.

"I will find a place for her. Perhaps the dungeons, I seem to remember several rooms not being used down there." Minerva stood up to get busy at once. "I will fill Poppy in on our Beth's … problems … as soon as I get back."

"If she does not make it back I don't know what Severus will do," Poppy said. "I've been through a lot with that boy but have never seen him like this."

"He is not blameless in this. Do not coddle him." Albus peered over his glasses at her. "He has to accept what he has done and find a solution, and you are to stay out of it."

"If she does not make it back he will leave us. That's what worries me."

"He will stay, that I can say for sure."

"If she does not make it back he will never be the same," she said.

"No, Poppy, I am afraid it will be just the opposite. If she does not make it back to us, he will be the same as he was before. Quite alone, I fear." He sighed, and patted her hand before slowly walking back to his office.

Severus looked at the clock on his office wall, surprised to see it was almost dinnertime. He had not thought how long it had taken to find her, or how long he had sat thinking about their time together.

He could not think of a reason a witch would have sought him out and put on such a show. Why a witch would have wanted to keep up the ruse.

"What do you mean what am I?" She had dared to mock him sitting in the park, looking up to him innocently. He had asked, he had asked her directly, and she had lied.

His long strides stopped at the fireplace, he stepped in throwing down a handful of powder and yelled, "Headmaster's Office". Damn the meddling fool.

"Ah, Severus I have been waiting for you to come and talk," Albus did not smile. "Do have a seat. I have a full bottle of excellent fire whiskey just asking to be sipped." He opened a drawer, pulling out two glasses and a bottle of Ogden's Finest.

"Headmaster," Professor Snape formally bowed.

"Ah, my boy, so this is not to be a friendly visit?" Albus removed his spectacles, placing them carefully on his desk.

"You knew," Professor Snape stated.

"Knew what Severus? About Elizabeth? Of course I knew, as did you." He stared at his Master of Potions for a few seconds before continuing.

"That she was your Muggle lover for that one short summer five years ago? No, I assuredly did not." Albus peered over his spectacles scowling at the Professor.

"Severus," he leaned forward in his chair to better see the younger wizard's reaction. "I, like you, did not make the connection between the Elizabeth Gilstone of so many years ago and this young Muggle woman you told me of. We see what we want to see I am afraid, and we hear what we want to hear."

Severus's head snapped up at the mention of that long forgotten name.

"Gilstone, Harold Gilstone. His daughter's name, Elizabeth." He looked at Albus, the truth hitting him hard.

"Albus, she never said a word. She never mentioned anything about her being a witch, or about that night. She never mentioned…" he paused.

"Did she not Severus?" Albus looked hard and long into Severus' eyes. "Did she not say she had been abused as a child, did she not say she was scared of intimacy? Did you sit with her, talk to her, or confide in her Severus? Did you, as we spoke about then, tell her that you were indeed a Wizard?"

Here Albus stopped, letting what he had said sink in as he stood up walking around to Severus, and sitting on the edge of the desk nearest him.

"If you had Severus, she would have confessed everything. She was frightened. She could not tell a Muggle what had happened to her, a man with no knowledge of pure-bloods or archaic customs, of Death Eaters and the extent that some men would go to secure a position, she could only confide in another of the own. That was you Severus. That was you."

"What is done is done Albus. It cannot be undone. It is over. I will thank you to stay out of my life, and to insist that Miss Gilstone also remove herself from my personal space." He said sneering at the older wizard.

"Oh, but that will not be possible Severus, not possible at all. You see my boy there is much more. I have invited the delightful Weasley twins here this evening. I think you will find the conversation very enlightening. Shall we say 10 pm?" Albus turned toward his private chambers. Turning at the door, he held up one finger to Severus' protest that he knew would come.

"That my dear boy is not a request. That Professor Snape is an order," he said with all friendliness gone from his voice. He turned continuing to his chambers.

"Professor," he tossed over his shoulder, "do be on time."

Minerva McGonagall had been aware of Elizabeth Gilstone from the first time she had seen her name on the Hogwarts admission list. She had written the second letter for Albus personally, and was well aware of the trip he had made with Hagrid in an attempt to collect her.

She knew of the rest of the night's events as well, had attended the Ministry's trials, accompanied Albus to the sentencing, and even stood as mute witness to the stripping of magic ceremony. She felt as sick now as she had at that time.

When she and Albus had returned from the ceremony, she had wept until Albus had held her in his arms and promised that he would do everything Wizardly possible to bring her home, to Hogwarts. They fought every legal battle they could, all to no avail. Unable to find her, hidden away by the Ministry, they had lost her. Now she had come home to Hogwarts.

The fact that she had a child and was considered a whore in polite society held no credence with Minerva. She was far too worldly to think having a child out of wedlock was a crime, or a magicless witch distasteful.

She was determined to show Elizabeth that not only did they accept her, but wanted her to be a part of their world. Hiding her in the dungeons made it more difficult but with Minerva, this became a challenge.

She found empty rooms, but she wanted more than just a room and kept searching until she found what she needed. Four rooms together, an old forgotten suite that, with a little help from the rest of the staff, was soon furnished to meet Beth's needs.

She had one room turned into a bathroom that was so large, with a tub that was so deep, that even Minerva herself felt she had gone a little too far. The second room was Elizabeth's new bedroom, a large sitting area at one end, a large four-poster bed at the other. The third room, the sitting room, had the required fireplace, bookcases, desk and chair, plus a complete living room suite.

The fourth room was to be hidden for now. It would be Tobby's room. Although Minerva had it completely refurbished, she had hidden the door. Elizabeth did not need a visual reminder. Not now, not until they could find the boy.

Minerva sighed. If the boy were not found, she would seal the door. She knew she would not have the heart to destroy it.

All the space needed now was its family.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

The twins sat next to each other quietly talking, while Minerva and Madame Pomfrey were brushing themselves off having just arrived by floo, when Severus entered the Headmasters office. Severus saw the number of chairs that had been set up, frowned at Albus, and stood in at the back with his arms folded.

"I do hope you are not planning a party. From the number of chairs in this room you should have warned me that this was a public event."

"Not at all Professor, I assure you this is only intended for those involved. We have a problem. Although we have researched as much information in the time allowed, we are sadly at a loss. I have hopes that in this case ten heads will be better than two." He peered over his spectacles showing no humor.

"Ten? Do you truly expect me to sit with you and eight others, including two Weasleys, and two town gossips?" he sneered as he indicated both Poppy and Minerva.

"Well, let's see. There will be four Weasleys, as I have also asked Molly and Bill to be here, and since Tom found someone to take over the Leaky Caldron this evening, that will be three town gossips," Albus corrected. "Also, I have asked Tonks, you remember her, do you not? I believe she helped you with some of the Dark Lord's business a while back."

When everyone had gathered, Albus gave his guests a few moments and called the meeting to order. He gave a brief history, only lightly touching on the original 'crime', saying only that she had left their world, returning to seek help in protecting her child, a child that was now in danger. Fred took up his wand, and wrote the exact spell they had use for the portkey in the air, leaving George to show the complicated wand patterns they had used.

"Headmaster, I really must object to my presence. I have no information as to this," Severus stood as if to leave.

"Ah yes, Severus. You see, you seem to be the object of our search here. What I mean is that you have lost something that you are not even aware of, something very near and dear to you Professor. I am sure it will be clear as we go on. Now sit," Albus said sternly, his voice and very posture telling Severus that he did not mean it kindly.

Each took their turn talking. Tom started by recounting how Beth had turned to him. How he had sought out the Weasley twins. With obvious reluctance, he placed his memories into the pensive and placed the bowl on Albus' desk.

"When did this occur?" Severus sneered at Tom.

"Well, the best I can remember, around five years. Maybe, a little less. I remember it was cold out, but not yet the hols, maybe late October, that would make it a less than five years. I imagine the boy would be four now." Tom answered trying to narrow it down.

When he had heard Tom he found he could not take his eyes off the pattern in the carpet. He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, keeping his breathing even and steady. Four. The boy would be four, he thought. Not a Muggle child. Not the child of another.

When Fred and George took their turn, Severus listened closely, inwardly cringing at the verbiage they had used. He heard the spell and shut his eyes against the grim possibilities it conjured. That had been enough to tell him they would not find an easy solution.

Molly's testimony was by far the worse for him, for she had witnessed the heartbreak. She had less to say. However, to Severus her voice carried on the longest, and seemed directed at him.

Tonks' story had sickened him. He had stupidly looked into her mind and seen the damage done to his Beth. Cursing Lucius, and himself for not getting there sooner, for believing the old woman still had time.

He did not even put forth to Albus his attempt to warn Beth, to have that crazy old god fearing woman do more than rant. He did not tell them how long and hard he had looked for her, only to almost find her too late. He listened closely. He wanted to know about the attack, if they knew who led it, who helped in the plan, or and was he himself at risk.

After the witnesses had all given their information and Albus asked them to step into the pensive, Severus stayed behind. He looked up to Albus as the others put their faces into the bowl.

"Why did you not tell me?" Severus said coldly.

"Why did you not tell her?" Albus answered.

Severus looked over to the pensieve, not wanting to enter. He walked to the fireplace and placed one hand on the mantel and leaned his head toward the hard cold stone.

"Yes, Professor?" Albus frowned. "I believe it is your turn now. We need information that only you would have."

Severus looked at Albus, and then slowly looked around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone that had just stepped out of the memories, and without saying a word, he strode out of the office, past the Gargoyle, past the Great Hall, out of the front doors, into the night.

The next morning after breakfast, Poppy and Minerva moved Elizabeth down to the dungeons. Poppy directed the house elf, Millie, to tell her if any change, no matter how slight, occurred. Potions and fluids were forced and Poppy again cast diagnostic spells hoping to find something she had missed.

When they left, Millie climbed up on the bed with her and opened the Muggle book she liked and began reading aloud.

She had not bonded to Elizabeth. However, she was had to Tobby. He was of the house of Snape, but Millie had not seen her new Master yet. She had waited almost five years now. She was happy. She knew it would be soon, if the mother was here, that must mean that Sir was going to bring the young Master.

She could wait at little longer. She had waited this long already. In the meantime, she could read, and she liked to read "_Alice Though the Looking Glass."_

.

.

Severus arrived at Malfoy Manor, and strode to the door where he'd been greeted at the entrance by the tiny elf that directed him to the Master of the house. This time the elf showed him to Lucius' study rather than the sitting room where he could normally be found.

"My old friend, what brings you out so late?" Lucius grinned, from his seat on the sofa, where he sat with his arm wrapped around a rather young looking witch.

"Oh, just out whoring around a little, I thought I would stop in and see what you were up to, or as it appears, up for, is more like it. Speaking of which, how is the lovely Narcissa these days?" He sneered at the witch. " Still pining for her husband to come to bed?"

"Now there is the Severus that I have not seen in years," Lucius laughed loudly. "Witch, be gone with you, I am busy."

Severus watched her with a raised eyebrow and sneer until she had gathered her things and left shooting him dirty looks.

"Oh Severus, Severus," Lucius grinned. "Let me set up the chess board, is will shortly be time for breakfast and you can see your much missed Narcissa."

Playing his part, Severus sat down to the chessboard after grabbing a whiskey from the liquor cabinet, and setting the glass at his elbow. They spoke of many things, finally coming around to revels and the parties of the old days. Lucius began to talk of his conquests, laughing and bragging. When the time was right, Severus sat forward in his chair to feign interest in the chess game.

"Whoever got Gilstone's old cunt? You remember, small mousey witch. She was the one that got the kid out of the way so she didn't have to share the inheritance." He mused not taking his eyes off the chessboard.

"Gilstone, Gilstone," Lucius thought, "Oh yes, yes indeed. I did manage to fuck her a couple of times, fucked like an ice cube I must say. Like mother, like daughter I have heard. Believe me it is true," Lucius smirked looking at Severus carefully from the corner of his eye, deciding to play along with the game Severus seemed to be playing.

"Anyway," he looked up at the ceiling trying to recall the details, "seems she wanted to join the cause. She attended a couple of meetings, fucked a few of the members, then one night it was decided she couldn't be trusted and was disposed of. I am trying to remember the inheritance, I don't recall…"

Severus smirked at Lucius, "Well, I am sure if you looked into it you would find just how smart the Dark Lord is." He said knowing that at the time there was no Dark Lord in evidence. "I am sure her vault was transferred to _his_ the same night."

After keeping up his act, eating breakfast, visiting with Narcissa, he went directly to Gringotts. As he had suspected the money had transferred to the vault of one Tom Riddle, managed by Lucius Malfoy. That left no doubt that she left no family to have found the boy. The goblins were better than any Ministry for tracing bloodlines and passing on inheritance.

He knew the magic involved in the Weasley spell was not considered dark. However, he did think it was dark enough to override the original fail-safe the Weasley's had used. 'Do no harm,' was the translation they had thought to use, but he knew that the literal translation was, 'Do no harm unnecessarily'. In Severus mind, the difference was vast. "Do no unnecessary harm." Is better I think.

The Weasley translation would suspend Tobby indefinitely waiting for a safe port, the true translation would not. The true translation would take him to whatever place was closest to the original port, even if danger was present. It was just a matter of degree, a little harm, a little danger, is better than being suspended for all time.

Returning to Hogwarts, he was not surprised to find Albus waiting for him on the front steps.

"Professor, I was wondering if I may have a word with you," Albus asked.

"No." Severus stormed by him, heading to the dungeons, only to find Albus waiting at his door.

"Old man, I do not care what you have to say," Severus pushed past him, muttering his password and prepared to enter his chambers.

"Severus, she has been moved down the hallway from here. She has a house elf with her, but if you hear or see anything, you need to be aware." Albus spoke quickly.

"Fine," the younger wizard ground out.

"One more thing," Albus started.

"Only one?" Severus spat

"Do you plan on teaching any time soon?" The Headmaster questioned innocently.

"No!" Came the answer as Severus slammed the door in Albus' face.

"I did not think so my boy," Albus frowned.

Albus looked down the hallway to the girl's door and shook his head sadly. Poppy had reported no change again, she checked at every mealtime, and again at curfew. Each time she lifted the girl's eye lids and clicked her tongue seeing no change, the condition of the girl as constant as the elf's reading.

"Millie," Poppy had told her, "She cannot hear a word you say, and even if she could I don't think a story about playing a Muggle lawn game with geese is what she would want to hear."

"Don't matter whats she hears, Madam Poppy Missus," Millie smiled and bowed, "Missus just needs the words. If Sir won't give the words we have to."

"Millie? Whatever are you on about?" Poppy was more confused than ever.

"In hers mind Madame, in hers mind. She says she needs the words so I gives her words," Millie explained.

"Oh, good Merlin!" Poppy sighed, thinking of crazy elves and crazier still professors.

Millie kept reading. When she finished that book she, she flipped it over and started again. Since she did not know what words the Missus needed and this was the biggest book she could carry, she would just keep reading until she found the right words.

Severus had immediately showered and prepared for bed. He had not slept of for two nights now and was completely exhausted. Going to his liquor cabinet, he pulled out a bottle only to find it empty.

"Millie," he yelled, waited, and called again.

"Yes Sirs," Millie bowed.

"Where were you? I call, you come, remember how his works?" Professor Snape spat at the now trembling elf.

"Yes sirs, I was reading to the Missus," Millie offered in way of explanation.

"What Missus?" Severus glared.

"Mine Missus" Millie shook harder under the Professor's glare.

"Millie, I do not have a Missus," he raged at her.

"No sirs not yous Missus, mine Missus," Millie was actually crying.

"You mean a Mister? Are you married?" Severus asked rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"No sirs," she said weakly.

"If you are not married, and I am not married, how in the name of Merlin do you have a Missus?" Severus was not even sure he wanted to know about the sex lives of house elves, but took the leap anyway. Suddenly the thought of Luna Lovegood talking to a house elf flashed across his mind unbidden, resulting in a snort of laughter.

"It is the Master's sirs," Millie said brave enough to look up to his face.

Even more confused, Severus just raised his eyebrow and stared at Millie.

"You is Sir. Master is the young Sir, the Missus is the mother." Millie spoke as if to a two-year-old elf.

Severus stared. Perhaps second year elfinese was too high a level for himself he thought.

"Again." was all he said.

"My Missus, Master's mother." Millie patiently explained.

"YOU KNEW ABOUT THE CHILD?" he thundered pulling his wand and pointing it at the creature that stood in front of him.

"Oh yes," Millie jumped up and down. "I has waited five years for the Master."

.

"YOU KNEW!" he was beyond rage now, and considered how hard he would have to kick to send Millie across the room.

"Yes sirs."

"You have known about this for five years, you who are to serve me, you who are bound to me. You have known this for five years and have said nothing?" Severus could feel his blood rushing to his ears, and feel the coldness that had gripped him worsen.

"Yes sirs," Millie grinned widely.

"Why. Was. I . Not. Told?" he managed to grind out.

The balloon of anger swelling in his chest popped when Millie stated the obvious.

"You did not ask Millie Sir, you did not ask," she said simply.

"Millie, whiskey, just get me a damn bottle of whiskey." His voice was hoarse and his head pounded.

"Yes sirs," she said and winked out.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

Severus knocked back three shots as Millie stood before him with her long ears flattened against her head. Looking at the creature, he set his glass on the table rather than refilling it the fourth time. Tilting the bottle to his lips, he tipped it up on end, taking three more deep swallows.

"Let her watch that," he thought.

Rolling his eyes he set the bottle, a little lighter now, down on a nearby end table. Now he was trying to shock a house elf, he mulled over in his mind. It must speak to the company he had been keeping.

He had never felt as lonely as he had the past couple of days. Knowing that she was lying a few feet away behind a stonewall, close enough to see if the walls would only disappear, close enough that he would peek into her mind to see his son's face if not for the walls. If not for an anger, he still fought to keep under control

"Millie," he sneered, "take me to the Missus."

"Sir? I don't knows sir, I don't..." Millie's ears now so low they hung down her back.

"Were you told I was not to visit your Missus?" he tried to speak calmly although he was seething.

"No Sir, she still sleeps Sir," Millie answered meekly looking at the whiskey bottle.

"I know that, you no good excuse for a wart toad, " he growled.

"No sirs, I will take you." Reaching up she took Severus's hand. Severus thought he saw the small creature gulp, before winking out to Elizabeth's bedside.

Stepping as close as he could to her without touching the bed, nor the blanket falling over the side, Severus looked down his nose at the still woman and allowed his mouth to turn up at one corner into his best sneer.

"Miss Gilstone," he said loudly, clearing his throat.

Millie looked up at him, to the girl, and back up at him.

"Miss Gilstone. I have come to talk to you, you will wake up now," he tried again.

Millie stood silent looking between the two.

"Miss Gilstone, you will wake up," he shouted.

Millie tugged his arm.

"Sir, she is sleeping sir."

"I know that Millie, however, I fail to see how not attempting to wake her is of any use. I will continue attempting to reach her until she wakes," he slurred as he once again turned to Elizabeth demanding that she wake up.

Severus stopped at the sudden thought that perhaps it was the half a bottle of Ogden's slouching around in his veins that gave him this idea. All of a sudden yelling at a comatose woman did not seem as brilliant as it did in his chambers.

"Sir," Millie stood with a large book in her hands. "She needs the words sir, she needs the words." Handing him the book she had been reading.

Sighing Severus sat down in a chair, next to bed that Poppy had used earlier, that Minerva had spent her vigil in, and that Albus had used to take his tea from, and began to read. He read until his voice was hoarse, he read until his head felt heavy, he read until he felt sober, he read until his chin slipped to his chest and he slept. He did not see her eyes move under her lids, nor hear her moan, once as if in pain.

"Severus?" Poppy's voice came to him, her mouth not an inch from his ear.

"Lady, and I use the term as a conversational term only, remove yourself from me." He said using his normal morning voice on her. Standing as the words were still falling from his mouth he glared at Poppy.

"Severus, whatever are you doing sleeping here?" Her eyes narrowing as she saw the title of the book, which had slipped to the floor.

"Reading, that should be obvious," he tried to smirk. He wondered if a six-foot Death Eater, and known snaky Git of the Dungeons, could actually pull off a perfectly fine smirk with a book of _Alice Though the Looking Glass_, open at his feet. He did his best, but he feared he had failed.

"Poppy, where is Albus?" he managed to get out.

"I imagine if you hurry you can find him in the Great Hall," Poppy answered still looking at him as if he were mad.

"Then I imagine that if I hurry I can get out of the main doors without him being the wiser." He stood, nodding to the Medi-Witch, and headed out the door.

"Severus, what about your…," she began.

"NO!" he yelled not turning around.

".. classes?" she finished

Since Harold Gilstone had preceded his wife to the grave, Severus knew that his inheritance would have transferred to his wife. Gringotts would be of no help. He needed to find out if Harold had left any other relatives. Since the family lines of pure blood did not trace squib births for more than five generations, he felt he had a chance of finishing his research at the Ministry by the end of next week.

If Harold had come from a small family, he would finish. Most pure blood families had small families, not willing to split anymore than required by Wizarding law.

Finally reaching the Research, Historical Documents and Lineage Department he filled out the necessary paperwork only to turn and find two of his students in line behind him.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger," he nodded. "And to what do you owe your lack of class attendance today to?"

Harry Potter stood frozen, his worse fear realized. Caught. Caught cold, dead to rights, no way out, no lie would…

"Well you see Professor," Hermione's tongue started, not certain where it would be ending until it did.

_Oh, this is going to be good_, Severus thought to himself looking down in awe as the young girl started spinning a tale out of control. _This will be very good._

"Yes, you see Professor," she was building up steam. Severus thought she was rather like the Hogwarts Express, going downhill fast.

"Harry and I have chosen to do a special project for our history of magic exams. We are researching pure blood families that go back at least…," She paused only a second. He raised his eyebrow encouraging her on. "…at least 15 generations to test our theory, our theory… Well, Harry did you want to tell him the rest of the project, it was after all your idea?" she spat the last few words out glaring bugged eyed at Harry.

"Yes Mr. Potter, do continue." Oh how he enjoyed this.

"No, you are doing fine," Harry was no fool, he tossed it back to Hermione.

"Yes, well Professor, as you know all pure blood families come from the same, stock , as we shall call it," she looked up at him as if this would explain it all.

"Hence the term pure blood. Do go on," Severus purred, waiting with arms crossed on his chest.

"Yes, well, since we are doing research to see, to see," she worried her bottom lip. "To see how long they stay pure, Sir? You see, Harry has a theory that all pure bloods soon will not be pure blood, of course in the strictest sense of the word and we are endeavoring to find when that stock, that is to say to find out when a line is depleted?" she finished weakly.

"One, Ms Granger, the answer to your research is one," he frowned.

"One Sir," she repeated weakly.

"Yes, Miss Granger. One Muggle born, or one mixed birth marriage," he continued his unblinking stare, "that is all it would take Miss Ganger for a pure blood line not to be pure."

"Well, that should conclude our research, Harry. Shall we go now?" she grabbed Harry's wrist walking backwards to the door, holding her breath. Harry looking all the while like a lost puppy running out in front of the Wizarding Knight Bus.

"So, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, I can then expect to read your results in a full 20 meter report, complete with footnotes, by shall we say this time next week?" He almost smiled. "Or, should I assume your report grade would be exponentially increased if some real research was made? Let us say that I do not mention the fact, Miss Granger that you have not been required to do a term paper for three years in History of Magic. You Mr. Potter have not even taken History of Magic for a year." He stood absolutely still. Letting them squirm a while he thought.

"Let's say that instead of mentioning to the Headmaster that two of his favorite students ditched classes today I can say with complete sincerity, that they did indeed research." He was tempted to fist the air with glee at their faces, and the fact that he had two research assistants had just cut his estimated time down to two days at the most.

"Shall we say that you will not leave here today until you have copied the births, marriage, and death information for the names that appear in this folder? Shall we further say that by one hour after dinner tomorrow you'll present me with a complete family tree of your results?" He leaned forward, hissing.

"Or shall we say that one hour and five minutes after dinner the three of us shall have a long and very unpleasant talk with your Head of House, as well as the Headmaster?" He growled at them for extra measure.

"Umm, right in one Professor," Harry all but snatched the folder Snape now held out to him. "Sure thing Professor. Gee, wasn't it lucky we ran into you before wasting all our time on that other stuff," he gave the Professor a small smile.

"Indeed, it was," Severus smirked, billowing his robes as his long strides propelled him down the hallway, "Indeed, it was. "

Severus found he now had the day free. Quickly apparating to Spinners End, he retrieved a small box that contained all that was left of his father. He then hurried to the small cemetery two blocks away.

Standing in front of the tombstone of Tobias Snape, he went down on one knee, opening the box and placing the contents in a circular pattern. When he was done with his careful placement, he stood removing his wand from his sleeve. With a deep frown of concentration, he waved the wand in ever widening patterns as he chanted the incantation he had known from childhood.

Watching for any sign of change in the documents spread in front of him, closing his eyes to listen more deeply, even tasting the very air with the tip of his tongue, he searched. Falling back to one knee, lowering his head he smelled the ground, he ran his hand over the headstone, and he trembled at the touch.

He had wanted to leave this for last. He had wanted to stay away from this grave, the grave of a man he had called father, just as he called the evil red-eyed monster he reported to now, Dark Lord. He saw no difference between them.

He stooped to pick up the items once more then stopped. Watching a photograph from his father's wallet glow, he frowned. Picking up just that one item, putting it in his pocket, he spat on the grave, and left.

Back at Hogwarts he demanded that he be taken to Elizabeth's bedside, a dinner tray awaited him, a pot of tea set back. He read again from _Alice through the Looking Glass_, he again allowed his head to fall to his chest. He again slept in her room, at her bedside, not caring who knew.

Millie knew. Millie knew that Severus had only eaten one meal in two days now. She knew that he had not properly showered in three. She knew he had not been himself for five years. She could wait a bit longer.

Severus woke, as habit at 4:00am. Stretching out his long legs, he felt a sharp pain in his neck and back. He winced as he stood, rotating his shoulders to loosen his muscles. Trying to relieve the pain, he decided that a nice hot shower was in order.

He looked down at Elizabeth, saying gently, "Beth, wake up, you need to wake up." Sighing, he turned to leave to find Millie again watching him.

"She hears the words sir, yes she does, and she hears them." Millie settled next to Elizabeth, taking up the next reading shift. Severus sighed and headed for the door.

Stopping at the door, grasping he knob, he stilled, resting his forehead against the rough wood.

"Millie?" he sighed, "How many others have you managed to make read to her?" He already knew.

"Oh, let's see… there be "

"Ten?" asked Severus, "The entire ten?"

"Yes Sir, Tonks sir, she was the hardest sir," Millie smiled.

"I know Millie, you did not tell me sooner, because I did not ask," he sighed turning the knob and softly closing the door behind him.

He showered, had a tray brought up from the kitchen, read yesterday's Daily Prophet and by 5:00am was heading up to the Headmaster's office.

"Headmaster," he said in greeting, still angered at the man before him.

"Professor," the Headmaster nodded to the chair in front of his desk indicating he was to sit.

"I have a request to make, Sir," the Professor stood stiffly.

"You have the audacity to stride into my office and make a request Professor?" Albus asked not smiling.

"Yes, Sir," Professor Snape sneered. "However, if you are unable to grant me the request it shall be of no matter. I can find the information myself given time."

"What is it your request?" Albus said shortly.

"My father's brother appears to still be alive. I had been raised believing his brother to be deceased, however knowing my father's penchant for incorrect information, I have checked the information myself."

Laying his Uncle's photograph on the desk for Albus to see, he turned it over showing his Uncle's name and the date the picture had been taken.

"This is all the information I have. I thought, perhaps your connection with their Prime Minister could be of some assistance. Since they were Muggles I am sure they have records."

"How is a 23 year old picture going to help Severus?" Albus answered with his demeanor softening at the lost look on the face before him.

"It will be enough Headmaster, because it must." He said, running his hand through his hair. "They will have his name, perhaps they have records. Muggles love keeping records. They must have something. "

"How did you discover this Severus? How did you find this information?" Albus asked looking from the old picture to Severus, thinking how desperate the boy was becoming.

"An old family spell, one primarily used by wives of drunks," Severus said evenly. "One used to locate the head of the family when his heir was in danger. The only reason my mother could seek her husband out."


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

Severus was coming to a dead end. Albus had indeed gone to the Muggle Authorities only to find Severus' uncle in a Turkish Prison. He would not be getting out any time soon. They assured Albus that no child had suddenly appeared. The Prime Minister did not even question what this information meant. The less they knew the better he felt.

Harry and Hermione showed up at Severus' door within one hour of dinner the day after seeing him at the Ministry. He crossed his arms and looked down his nose at them when he saw them standing nervously in front of him.

He opened the door stepping aside to allow them in. Harry stood near the door, not wanting to walk into the darkness of the room, as Hermione walked to the desk and spread out a chart showing the family tree they had created from their research.

Severus could tell at a glance that he was staring at a wall. He had no further to look. He was done. He tasted the saltiness of his own blood as he bit the inside of his lower lip to keep from screaming at the parchment.

"We really tried to find someone else Professor." Harry tried to explain. "It just appears that the Gilstone name is gone. There was one surviving person, but she showed as a non-magical female. She died two years ago. I guess that is one less pure line to go over to the Dark Lord."

"Not all pure bloods are in league with the devil Mr. Potter." Severus fought to stay in control. "Now, get out. Get out of my sight you prejudiced brat!" He swept his arm across the surface of his desk clearing the parchment off, onto the floor, then picked up a candle and flung it at the wall.

The end table went next, as Harry and Hermione ran from the room. Taking up his wand and yelling curse after curse he reduced his quarters to rubble.

Toppling his bookcases and shooting off curses, he circled his room. As his rage grew, instead of diminishing, he lost his breath and knelt in near exhaustion in the centre of the room.

He had found himself in the same position the night before, in a Muggle house in the Garden District of London. After the two Death Eaters assigned to him had done their job, after he had watched them kill two Muggle women, two women who had committed the crime of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, he had realized he could watch such a thing with no feeling.

That was when he had snapped. He was fuelled by the _lack_ of rage he should have felt at the sight of the murder. He was raging at the absence of rage. He had felt something within him slip and didn't know how to pick it up. He had pointed his wand at the Death Eaters, as they bragged about their work, and let 'Stupefy' fall from his lips. He had then proceeded in a rage not even felt, to cut their throats with a knife from the Muggle kitchen.

Slowly, he stood, cleaning the knife, and returning to the Dark Lord. It was beginning to get easy to shield his mind and to put up walls. He was losing himself, he thought to the darkness.

Looking around, remembering where he now was, he jumped to his feet and went into his bedchamber opening closets, drawers, and cabinets, until he found his Whiskey and downed half a bottle at once.

He was angry with the Potter, the kid who dared to utter the sentiment that all pure bloods were dark. He had reached his end. His son was missing and his Beth lay down the hallway, his two masters pulling him apart. He wanted his control back, he needed something but he could not recall what.

Millie had heard the commotion, and peeking around the corner of the floo she had popped into, left at once for the hospital wing.

"Miss Poppy sir." Large tears falling from her saucer shaped eyes.

"Yes Millie," Poppy looked to the ceiling as she prayed for the strength to get though one more conversation with the distraught elf, a conversation which always ended with yet one more hour of reading.

"You come to Sir, Missis Sir, you come help my Sir." Her tiny hands wringing together so hard that Poppy reached down to stop her for fear Millie would break her own fingers.

"What is wrong Millie?"

"He breaks things, glass, wood, everything Miss Sir. He breaks even his books, he loves his books, but he breaks them now. Miss Sir, you need to come." Millie leaned her head back, a gut-wrenching yowl sounding like a large and very sad cat, caught in echoing steam pipes, issuing from the elf.

Poppy did not wait to console the little creature, she ran as fast a she could. She had seen Severus like this once before. He had fallen into despair at the confirmation of the Dark Lord's return. She would not let him go that far again.

When he had returned with the girl held out to her in his arms, she had seen a broken, defeated child of a man. When he had come back from seeing the Dark Lord, he had been a monster. That monster was again loose in Hogwarts.

"Severus, open this door," she demanded.

"No witch, leave me be!" he yelled in a hoarse and cracking voice.

"Severus, I cannot do that," her voice carried down the hall to Elizabeth's room.

"Witch leave me, and do it now," he returned louder than before.

Tonks had just finished reading the last chapter of _Alice Though the Looking Glass._ She did not know to turn back to the beginning and start again. She sighed and flicked her wand to raise the silence spell she had set just in time to hear Poppy's reply.

"Severus Snape, you will not speak to me in that voice young man. You will mind your manners and open this door at once." Poppy laid her hand on the door and sighed, not knowing how to reach him this time.

"Severus, SEVERUS!" Poppy's voice raising

Albus came running down the hallway, with Minerva at his heels. When Tonks realized this was more than a Poppy vs. Severus temper match, the pink haired witch joined the race to Poppy's side.

"Get out of my sight, out of here!" A crash as loud as thunder came from within the Potion Masters chambers, then the sound of glass as he hurled dozens of flasks at the door.

A large roaring sound came as he opened the floo and sent a hex that tore at the chimney, sending a groan to the base of the castle itself.

Albus pulled his wand, nodding at Tonks. They both pointed at the door and at the same time cast wordless spells so as not to warn Severus of their intent. The door blew back, coming to rest against the wall on the far side of the room. The four of them entered slowly, careful not to touch the doorway where pieces of stone stuck out ragged and sharp.

The potions from Severus' storeroom ran mixing on the floor, a foul odor wafting up from the swirling mass. Glass crunched under their feet. They peered through the vapors of the potions, to see Millie come into view with a small POP.

"Thank you Miss Sir." The elf performed a low gracious bow to Poppy.

Millie looked up to Severus as if enraptured. He looked at her and pointed his wand as he snarled a slow Avada Kedavra curse as Tonk's Expelliarmus hit him first.

Tonks and Minerva held their wands trained on Severus as Albus slowly walked forward to reason with the wizard.

"Severus, we need to talk about this," Albus said evenly locking his eyes to Severus' dark ones.

"You need to leave me," Severus sneered kicking around the debris looking for his cloak.

"No Severus, I will not," Albus tried to come closer, to lay a hand on Severus, to soothe him, and get him under control.

"No, old man," Severus spat pulling away. "I am done here."

"No master sir, you needs to read now," the tiny elf whispered.

He looked at her trying to put her statement into some corner of his mind where he could still think and make sense of it.

"Your Beth, she waits for the words. You read now," Millie looked up and slowly raised her hand and took his hand.

"He is going to read now," Millie smiled. "It is Sirs turn, and she needs her words. "

There she was, her hand holding his gently, looking at the four as if all was right with the world, as she led the six-foot, blood stained, Death Eater, in full Death Eater regalia, down the hall to read Chapter one of _Alice Though The Looking Glass_.

Albus raised his hand. Motioned the others to clear a path and allow the elf with the now genteel wizard to pass. He felt the magic swirling the room, closing his eyes, he stilled to feel its wonder. Minerva and Tonks, looking around at the awesome feeling of raw power were breathless, and Albus knew it was time that all should learn to truly fear his professor's power.

Two days later, Poppy ran her wand over Elizabeth, running diagnostics. A slow smile turning up the corners of her mouth. She sat on the edge of the bed coaxing the patient to swallow the potions and liquid nourishment, smiling widely as she used a lot less coaxing than she had before.

As she eased Elizabeth's head back to her pillow she heard the girl utter a sigh and what sounded like the beginnings of speech. She watched eyes move behind the lids and knew that the girl not only slept, but also dreamed, which meant she thought, and if she thought, she was in there.

"Albus, I do believe we can start to hope now. And, you Severus, can stop worrying about this one," she peered at him over her shoulder.

"I do not … I am concerned, but have complete faith in your abilities," he crossed his arms and tried to look stern.

"No, and you don't lose you temper, become unreasonable, or lash out at me either I suppose. Really Severus, who do you think it was that changed your nappy when your father was off drunk and your mother laid up at St Mungos?" She stepped up close to him, almost coming mid chest, reaching up to shake a finger at him.

"If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I shall have you put over my knee. Do. You. Hear. ME?" she jabbed her finger into him punctuating each word. "You have enough to worry about without adding to the list now leave her to me and go find your son and ask for help if you need it. Ah, Severus, you don't have to go this alone."

Severus had the good grace to keep his mouth shut. He was embarrassed over his behavior, and had tried to blame the Whiskey after fighting the two-day hangover. Poppy had refused to give him any pain or hangover potions, knowing it best to let him suffer a little, at least it was best for her.

He could not even brew his own potions as he had destroyed his lab. Albus cancelled classes for the remainder of the week as the entire area had to be resorted, and he promised Severus that he would pay the bill.

Elizabeth stirred slightly under the blankets, moving her head slowly off the pillow.

"Beth?" he rushed to her bedside.

"Now, now Severus, it may be days you know," Poppy sighed and laid her hand on his shoulder.

"No Sirs, she needs the words," Millie had winked in. "No sirs, you needs to ask a question then she needs to answer."

"Ok Millie, here it is. Here is your big moment. Why does she need the words?" Severus bellowed.

"Sirs she can hear you. She hears everything. Nots the same as Sir, but she hears. When sirs are reading her eyes, they move. When you sirs stop, she sleeps again. She needs the words sir, please, she needs someone she answers sir," Millie patiently explained.

"You know," Poppy, said thoughtfully, "the Muggles believe that a person in a coma can hear and understand. They believe there is a sort of disconnect that will not allow them to communicate. What they do not really understand is that if the soul is damaged, well if the soul is not intact, then words would have no meaning, no connection as it is. Perhaps Millie is on to something here."

"Please, please do not tell me Poppy that a house elf is now … teaching us, no… it is telling us what to do." Severus rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Hangover still bothering you boy?" Albus smirked, "And yes, elves are known to have great magic, and are a great untapped source of knowledge. Perhaps we should seek their advice more often.

Severus had taken to sitting with Elizabeth whenever he found or made free time. Classes were back, it had been eight weeks since they had found all dead ends in the search for Tobby.

He sent owls out daily in search of Tobby. He read aloud spell books and tracing spells, both magical and dark, hoping to find something he could use. He talked to her non-stop, at times imagining she had answered.

He never spoke of the boy in these one way conversations. He had tried once to mention the fact to Albus that he wanted to see the boy. He could not do it. Nor in his conversations with Beth could he talk about things they had done, things they had felt. He spoke of his days in cold detachment, never calling her Beth, only Miss Gilstone.

One Morning as had become his habit, he entered her room carrying a tray with a pot of tea and two cups. He would pull the curtains open on the magically charmed windows, announce that it time to get up and pour the tea.

"Oh my," she said sitting up. "Have I overslept?"

"Yes, Miss Gilstone, it appears you have slept for rather a long time," he turned from the window, trying to keep his voice steady. "Would you care for a cup of tea before our Medi-Witch ruins your breakfast?"

"Yes, my mouth tastes like shite," she responded. "Umm… Tobias, oh no, it is Snape is it not? How long have I been here?"

"Poppy will explain to you Miss Gilstone, I shall fetch her at this time," he said tonelessly.

Walking down the hallway his stride lengthened, his sneer disappeared, and by the time he had reached the circular stairs he took them two at a time. Even before he was at the door of the hospital wing he was shouting for Poppy.

He stayed away for a week. After eight weeks of worry, he now fell back on his anger. Like an old familiar friend, anger never failed him; it fueled his tongue, told him how to express himself, and protected him from emotions and relationships.

Elizabeth spent a week taking short walks, eating, and listening to the progress of the hunt for her son. Molly had hugged her, and the twins had told her about Portkeys, how they worked, and what had gone wrong.

She could not blame them, they had been children at the time. She had put her trust in them. Asking them to create a Portkey that could be valid over such a long period had been a fool's wish. She had been the fool.

She wanted to smash something, she wanted to run, she wanted to find her son, but she needed to sit quietly. She needed to regain her strength and she needed to make peace with the father.

The first night he came to her chambers, he refused to sit, refused to talk. He paced, she watched. They did not talk, until after twenty minutes when he rasped at her, "Miss Gilstone, once you are properly attired I shall meet you in your sitting room. This," he waved his hand to indicate the room around them, "is completely inappropriate."

The second night they sat facing one another over a small tea service on a set on an oak coffee table.

Beth began to talk. She talked of her childhood, the beatings, the work, the harshness. She spoke of the end of her childhood at Malfoy's Manor, the crime she had committed, the trial and the stripping.

With no shame in her eyes, she continued. She told him of living with the squibs, the way she was treated, the things they had made her watch. She spoke to him of her hip injury, the pain and on being crippled.

She spoke of living on the streets, of eating from dumpsters, of giving birth and of Mum. She held nothing back, she kept her voice devoid of emotion, she gave no reasons for anything she had done, and she just talked. She talked about their son, her joy in him, his smile, the way he grinned and how she had taught him to run, how to activate the Portkey, but not what to do after.

He sat still, not even sipping his tea. He did not notice the passing of time as he heard her words of her pain and of her loss.

He wanted to reach out to her, but did not. They both needed to purge, they both needed to talk, and to listen.

"That brings me to now. Do I call you Tobias?" She said when she was finished. "Do I call you Severus? What do I call you, Professor Snape perhaps? Or should I just call you a son of a bitch?" she said coldly. "What do I call you? "

"That would be fine," he said evenly. "Son of a Bitch seems to fit."

In a billowing of robes, he was gone.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

Severus had always looked forward to summer, as he had looked forward to the holiday season. Now he saw the passage of time as damnation. The longer the boy was missing, the less chance they had of finding him. The length of time he had already been missing made his recovery almost impossible. He knew this, but still did not stop spending every extra moment in pursuit.

He still thought of Beth. He dreamed of her, remembering the feel of her as he slipped between her thighs. He could smell her scent in a room she had just left; he could hear her voice as she walked down the hallway talking to the other staff members.

Today he was shocked out of his daydreaming when she entered his office. She usually kept her distance, not once coming to seek him out.

"I have come to say good bye," she started.

He stood behind his desk, thinking of nothing to say,

"I realized that it is doing no good for me to stay here. I need to get back to living. Maybe I can look better in the Muggle world. I have no right or purpose to stay here," she stated flatly, her eyes dead.

"You have every right to be here," he hissed, angry with her.

"No, I do not." She came around to take his left forearm turning it up. If his sleeve had been rolled up, he knew that she would see the Dark Mark.

"When I saw this, that first time," she evaded his eyes, "I was so scared I ran from you. Now," she shrugged, "now I know there are far worse things to fear."

"Beth," he whispered, looking down remembering.

"I keep remembering, I wasn't thinking about what could happen, only that at the time I wanted you," he strode to her, grabbing her shoulders, looking into her eyes. "Beth, you knew, you knew what a Death Eater was. What I was, and still, still you stayed."

"I told you why. I love Tobias, I don't think I can love Severus. He is cold, distant, I think cruel. You don't…" she sought for words, "you don't care. "

He dropped his hand, nodding at her.

"When are you leaving?" he asked.

"Now, tonight at 7 pm, we leave shortly. One of the Weasley boys is coming to collect me at the main gate," she said evenly.

"I shall walk you," holding out his arm she placed hers above, resting her lower forearm on his, and they walked through the doors to the main gate as a true pure blood couple.

"Oh my, it looks like all the Weasleys are here," she said, looking up trying to smile.

"Almost," he snipped.

"Almost?" she queried.

"Yes, the second oldest Charlie is not here. He works in Eastern …" he stopped. He stopped talking, walking, and breathing.

"Beth!" He turned her around sharply. "Charlie was not in the Burrow, has not lived there for some time now. He is her son." Severus looked up to see Molly coming down the walk.

Letting go of Beth, almost pushing her to the ground in his haste, he ran to Molly, grabbed her by both shoulders and put a big wet kiss right on her lips.

"I am so glad to see you my dear. Have I told you that I love you? I love all your children, I love your Burrow, your cooking, your nosy manners, and most of all I love your bloody pure blood family inheritance," he said laughing at her expression. "Don't leave until I get back. Molly, make her stay until I get back, everything is about to be explained."

Glancing up at the massive clock on the tower it was 7:04, they should be leaving.

"If you have to, curse her, but make her stay," he demanded and he hurried away. He ran to the gate spinning around as he then apparated mid stride.

Molly slowly brought her hand to her mouth, and looked blankly around. Six of her children stared at her open mouthed.

"Why Molly, old girl," her husband laughed. "Look at you, all blushing and pretty, looking still like my school girl. Still turning those heads my girl?" He took her by the arm and helped her sit on the steps; she was so startled he feared she would fall.

Severus had never felt so elated and so dim-witted at the same time. Of course, the boy was with Charlie. Where else would he be? The Burrow had been unsafe, in mortal peril, he had been sent to Molly's heir.

Tobby would be going to the unprotected Burrow. The boy had not just been sent to Molly, he had been given to her. This would make Charlie the closet safe family member. The boy was with Charlie.

_The twins were geniuses_, he thought, _dumb, unknowing, fucking brilliant, geniuses_!

He found himself in a close, overgrown forest; hidden deep in the Romanian Mountains There was a small trail that would lead to the Dragon compound. He had not been here for many years. He was sure the wards would have changed.

He removed his wand checking for the wards as he went. He did not think one would need wards to protect dragons, but he knew from Charlie's student days that he was the only of the Weasleys that would not take the easy way, nor would he shy from work. He had proven to be loyal and trustworthy to a fault.

Right now, even Severus Snape could find no fault in Charlie's Gryffindor qualities. His thoughts turned to awarding house points.

He found the wards, tripped them on purpose, and stood smirking, waiting for the red headed Weasley to appear. Pulling out his pocket watch it was 7:12 pm.

He had not learned to wait any better than he had the first day he had met Beth, at the Abbey. And like that day, so many years ago, he saw Beth's smile at exactly 7:16 pm walking towards him. His heart stopped, he found the mountain air too thin to breath, and he ran forward, fell to his knees grabbing the boy to him at the same time.

"Tobby, I found you. I have you, you my son," Pulling the boy back to look at him, he found himself looking into eyes that were his own. He smiled up at Charlie who stood beside him, wand out but lowered to his side.

"Thank you for taking care of my son Mr. Weasley, I believe I now owe you a life debt," he paused. "Bloody hell Mr. Weasley, let's make that two. If you demand more, let me know."

"He showed up a few weeks ago, but it was right after hatching time and between the baby dragons learning how to fly and their mothers bringing back live food, owls don't tend to last long. We always shut down communications for a couple of months." Charlie shrugged. "He told me the story but I never would have guessed that you were … what I mean to say …."

Tobby reached in his pocket and took out the badly creased and faded photo. He stepped back and frowned, looking up at Charlie and reaching out his hand, giving him the picture of his father.

Charlie looked at Severus as he squatted down in front of the boy. "I know, I can't tell by looking at that myself either, but he's not one to lie, Tobby. If you knew him as long as I have, you would know he would never say this, or act like this unless there was truth in it. I want you to trust me on this."

Tobby cupped his hands around Charlie's ear and whispered, causing Charlie to hide a smile. "Professor, he wants me to ask you if you know his mother."

"I have met her a few times," Severus smirked, and held his hand out to Tobby. "Let me take you to her. She is waiting."

Standing with the boy's arms wrapped around his neck, and his own around the boy, he looked at Charlie and smirked. "As much as I would love to stay and visit I," looking down he corrected, "we, have a witch waiting for us."

Without looking up from his son's eyes, he arrived at Hogwarts in a clap of thunder and a flash of light that when telling the story years later, all the Weasleys would agree had been done with style.

Charlie stood staring at the spot that a man who looked very much like his old Potions Professor had just stood. He knew what had just happened; he just could not believe it.

He needed time off. It was time to go home to see if hell really had frozen over.

Beth waited by the front steps, still unsure of what was happening.

Molly was almost back to normal color, and Arthur was still explaining to Albus and Minerva, to the best of his abilities, what had happened when the sound of thunder returned.

Every head snapped up to look at the gate, all they could see at first was Severus' billowing robes, until he turned finding Beth and locking his eyes to her. Unwrapping a small boy from inside of his cloak, he bent down to speak into the boy's ear.

He spoke to the boy, his eyes still on his mother. "Run boy, she is waiting, there on the steps," he indicated with a nod of his head. And run he did, just as she had taught him, but this time, this time he did hear her laughter, did hear applause and did find his mother's arms.

Severus would later recall this vision. He would see her as she fell, falling to her knees, as she leaned forward catching herself with one arm braced on the cold stone steps while reaching for her son with her other, her mouth open in a silent scream of joy.

He would see Tobby flying into her arms, lifting his legs, wrapping them around her, burying his face in her neck, and crying the big boy tears of a boy just turned five. He would see himself standing back, out of the way, as was his custom, as the Headmaster, Minerva, Poppy, Hagrid, Tom, all the Weasleys, less one, and even Millie crowded around the mother and child.

He would remember that he had quietly walked passed the group of adults, and one small child, making his way to the Dungeons. He was not part of this group. She had thought him cruel.

Later, after Beth had tucked the boy in bed and the castle was still, Severus went to Beth, sitting on the chair next to her bed he began to talk. She did not interrupt, she did not move, she sat into the night while he spoke of his life, of his childhood, of drunken fathers and mother's beaten. He spoke of hate, and pride, and seeking acceptance, he spoke of Albus, and the Dark Lord, of the things he had done, things he still did, and things he must do in the future. He spoke with no emotion in his voice, no reasons for why, but of what.

He spoke until he was hoarse, not sipping the now cold tea to sooth his throat, he told her of _Alice Though the Looking Glass_, House Elves, and how he had first seen her at the Abby , the truly first time. He talked of how Tobby's face had smiled at him at 7:16pm, and how his heart had stilled in wonder as he used the term we for the first time.

He spoke until the sun was on the horizon, then upon finishing he promptly stood and left.

Beth got out of bed, sought out Tobby's warmth, and laid with his back to her chest, her chin in his lank black hair and cried, hearing the thunder come.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclai****mer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

Elizabeth presented her copy of the summons to Albus.

"May I?" he asked peering over his half moon spectacles. Motioning her to a nearby chair with a wave of his hand he began to read aloud. Occasionally, his voice would drop, he would lose his cadence as the looked down at her face with trepidation.

HEAR THEE

ELIZABETH GILSTONE, THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC WITH FULL AND COMPLETE AUTHORITY OF LAW, DEMANDS YOUR ATTENDANCE AT THE COURT OF THE WIZENGAMOT, AT 3: OO PM IN TWO DAYS TIME, TO SUBMIT FOR QUESTIONING AND SENTENCING ON THE OFFENCE DETAILED BELOW.

THAT YOU, ELIZABETH GILSTONE, SINGLE WOMAN AND CONVICTED MURDERESS, DID KNOWINGLY LIVE IN A SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN AGAINST THE DECREES IMPOSED ON YOU AT THE TIME OF YOUR CONVICTION.

The Ministry of Magic has discovered that one Elizabeth Gilstone, AKA Beth Stone, AKA Bet Stone is residing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is an undesirable, and as such, has broken the terms of her punishment, by entering a residence of children. The evidence against her is as follows:

1. She is known to be residing in the dungeon area in close proximity to one Professor Severus Snape, a single male.

2. She and her bastard son receive no visible means of support.

3. These living arrangements have been made with full knowledge and co-operation of one Albus Dumbledore, a single male.

Miss Gilstone, a known felon, having cast an unforgivable, resulting in the taking of a life, is hereby demanded to appear before the Wizengamot for a full investigation and determination of the terms of her sentencing, namely that her likely confinement may be served in one of the establishments registered for use in Miss Gilstone's chosen profession.

The name of the informant and will not be disclosed as he fears repercussions from the aforementioned Professor Severus Snape.

Signed:

Theodophilus Jobsworth

Clerk to the Minister of Magic

Beth heard the accusations against her with stolid silence. She sat in the Headmaster's office staring straight ahead, unfocused and unhearing, she sat and waited while Albus read.

As Albus' voice droned on with the reading, Beth's mind raced with possibilities of what could happen to her and her son. Tobby had been back barely two weeks, and although she had not spoken to Severus about the future she had been hoping to work things out enough to ensure that her son had a father in his life, now one more obstacle had been thrown in her way.

She found it hard to pay attention. She knew she was slipping some place she had been before. Twice she had been on the brink and Tobias brought her back. It was his voice she heard, making her wake to answer him. She refused to have this happen again.

She felt a flask pressed to her lips, and hoping for dreamless sleep she drank. Then as if coming out of a fog, she found herself looking into black eyes.

"It is a just a calming draught, it will help you focus."

"My Tobias," she sighed, her hand going to his face. "My Tobias, what have we done?"

After a few moments she seemed to clear. She felt closer to herself than she had been since the owl had landed in front of her bringing the Ministry's missive. She looked around, surprised to see that Minerva had joined them and that it was indeed Severus kneeling in front of her.

"Nothing has happened in those dungeons Albus," Severus fumed, standing, turning his back to Beth as if to shield her. "Nothing, do you hear me."

"Severus, I am sure that if you could talk just a little louder the whole School could hear you," Minerva groused. "As two adults we would not care what goes on down there Severus," she held her hand up, palm open toward him when he started to respond to her. "Severus, if it was not for her history, none of this would matter."

"But I do have a _history_, I have a child. Is that what you mean, Minerva?"

"I love that boy of yours, understand that, but I have to say that if Severus had taken care of his responsibilities, you would not be in this fix. If you two had waited to have a child, it would have saved a lot of heartache."

"It was as much my fault as his," Beth challenged her. "And having Tobby now, I can't imagine life without him."

"Of course I was responsible. Do you think me a fool? I did not forget." His shoulders slumping suddenly as he realized why the contraception spells had not worked. "How the fuck would I have known she was a stripped witch masquerading as a Muggle? And that, because of that stripping, any magic that could actually benefit her, wouldn't bloody work.

"Severus, there can be no trial. I either return to the Muggle world, or I admit to everything and let them have their way," Elizabeth said flatly. "Listen to me Severus, if there is a trial, they'll give me truth serum, and they'll ask me about Tobby's father. They'll ask me if you and I have been intimate. They'll ask if Albus knew of this relationship, if he approved of my living here. How do you think I will have to answer Severus? How do you expect me to answer?

Read that again Albus, you know, the last part, the part something about the establishment of my profession. What could that be Severus? Will you visit me there?" Her voice turning higher and higher in pitch, her hands moving so quickly, rubbing together, up her arms and back down the front of her stomach again, only to twist in on each other.

"That is quite enough," Severus growled at her.

"Will you have to pay me? How much am I worth? Will you come to me there?" she screamed at him. "I will not give in to them this time. I have lived as a Muggle and I will do it again. I refuse! Do you hear me? I refuse to give in to them one more time."

She started for the door only to have Severus pull her back.

"Beth, we will think of something." He looked at her darkly. "The Ministry is looking for something more than what is between us. There must be another reason behind this."

"Well, my dear Severus," she spat out his name. "It appears I have less than 48 hours. I have packing to do. Please excuse me."

Scowling, Severus stormed out and went back to the dungeons, leaving Albus and Minerva to plot. The two sat down to go over the charges once more, then Minerva headed to the library as Albus sought out his Potions Professor.

"Severus, boy, we need to talk." Albus found Severus sitting in front of his fireplace that night, staring into the fire.

"I cannot do this again Albus," the Potions Master sighed, not taking his eyes off the fire.

"That's selfish, right? Thinking of myself. Thinking first how this will affect me?" he sincerely questioned.

"Ahh, I don't know. You are the most unselfish person I have had the joy to know. You put your life on the line every time you are called, every time you walk down the pavement you have to be on guard, yet walk you do," Albus sighed. "Is it selfish to want done of pain? I don't know Severus, when you return from a mission, torn and bloody, do you wish the pain would never come, or do you wish the time would pass quickly for it to be over?" He too watched the fire as he questioned.

"Neither, I know that by morning Poppy will have worked her magic, and I will be fine." He frowned, "Albus, if this is yet another one of your cryptic messages, I am far too tired to play along. "

"No, just a thought, Severus, just a thought. Perhaps by wanting more for ourselves, we in return give more to others," he mused.

"Albus," Severus warned.

"No, no, my lad, just more thinking. If, just suppose, you had been selfish a few years ago. Let's suppose, selfish enough to scoop up a young witch and bring her back here to your bed. Perhaps by being selfish enough to demand she accept you as is, perhaps we would not be sitting here."

"Yes, and let's further suppose that the Dark Lord had found her and killed her. I would not have a son, and she would be dead. Just supposing Albus, just thinking," Severus shot back at him.

"The Muggles have a saying about water over the dam. Let us leave it there, we need to address this matter." Albus became serious.

"Fine," Severus glared at Albus. "Scenario one, she waives trial. They send her to the brothels. "

"Lets see, Scenario two," Severus stood and began pacing between the beds. "She pleads guilty; they send her to the brothels. Scenario three, she pleads not guilty, they drag our son into open court for all to see, and they send her to the brothels. Scenario four, five six, and on, and on, and on… they send her to the brothels!" he raged. "I am so sorry, Albus, I must have missed something? Depending of which scenario we chose, I lose my job, you are no longer Headmaster, and she is sent to a brothel… tell me, what I have missed ?" he stormed.

"Trust me Severus, I promise that I have thought about this. I have considered her future and yours," he said, peering over his spectacles, "I will not leave this world without leaving something of myself behind."

"No more riddles Albus. I am too tired to think about your puzzles," Severus raked his hand through his hair.

"No, just know that she will one day inherit what she needs. No more, no less," Albus smiled and slowly lowering to his knee, ignoring Severus's shocked face, he took a wizard's oath.

Severus had never felt such a magical surge. He stepped forward and grabbed Albus' arm to make him stand. As he bent down to gain hold of his other arm, Albus reached up and grasped him, holding him still.

"I give my oath to protect those that are yours. After I am gone, the protections will hold and the inheritance will be complete." Releasing the Potions Master from his grip, he slowly rose to his feet, and turning away, left Severus alone. .

.

.

The next morning Severus was on his way down the hallway to the Great Hall when a small barn owl came swooping down, landing a few feet ahead of him and holding its leg up impatiently. Scowling, he removed the missive and shooed the owl off, then unrolled the parchment, muttering of fools that worked at the Ministry and casting aspersions on their mothers as he strode to the Great Hall and up onto the dais.

"Headmaster, a moment please," Severus came up behind Albus, leaned down and quietly spoke in his ear.

"After the meal, we must keep up appearances. If this morning's correspondence is any evidence, we do have a spy in our midst. I take it you have also received a summons on morals charges."

Severus threw the parchment down in front of the old man before taking his seat. He sat and looked out over the room wishing he could identify the children already trained to follow the Dark Lord. He once thought he could tell from the look of hopelessness in young eyes and predict whether they were destined to be one of the Dark Lord minions, but found he could no longer do so, it was no longer that easy.

He would peer into the first years' faces to see which girls averted their eyes. Which young girls had been trained early in the importance of the ways of a proper witch, the submissive training already having been started. He looked at Ginny Weasley and saw nothing but laughter, and the way she interacted with the others. He then turned to look at the other tables, seeing a young Slytherin's eyes on the table as Goyle joked with her. He pushed his chair back so hard it hit the floor, and in a billow of robes he strode to Albus' office to wait until it was time to head off to the Ministry.

"Well, young man what can I do for you today?" Albus smiled, picking toast crumbs from his beard as he entered the office.

"Take it back," Severus stated.

"Take what back?" Albus purred innocently.

"You know damn well what I speak of. Take it back," he restated.

"And, why would I do that my boy?"

"Any Oath given on the spur of the moment has not been thought through and should be deemed invalid. You have not thought this through."

"I came to you with the express purpose of performing the Oath. I have thought it out Severus. I have thought it out fully." Picking up a piece of parchment from this desk, he walked over to Severus and handed to him.

Severus bent his head to read. Looking up sharply to at Albus, he then walked to the window, holding the parchment in better light, thinking that perhaps he was not seeing correctly.

"What are you are gloating about old man? Do you think this," waving the document in the air above his head, "this travesty of law and commonsense will change anything, or even be taken seriously"

"When have you ever doubted the utter and complete stupidity of the Ministry my lad? The law stands, and we will take advantage of it," Albus smiled warmly.

"So, you and Minerva plan on adopting a child? Adopting a full grown witch with a child of her own?" Severus was incredulous.

"No, of course not, that would be utterly foolish to even attempt," Albus gave a full-throated laugh. "I will adopt a delightful young witch that may be able to keep you in line. She seems to be stronger each day." He smiled as Minerva walked into the room. "My dear Minerva, I was just telling Severus about our new family."

"So, has Albus told you the good news," she smiled. "We are to be finally blessed with a child." Placing a hand on her stomach, she moved her hand in small circles as she smiled at Severus.

"Where are you going Severus?" Albus laughed openly, happy at the look of sheer horror on Severus' face.

"To see the new baby!" he sneered.

"He, what?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "How can he do this, and even if he could, what difference would it make?"

"He can do it because of the archaic laws still on the books, and the fact that Wizards are in general just as archaic as those laws." Running his hand through his hair, while sitting in her living room, he tried to explain the law simply.

"Before modern times, hell, I don't know before what, or when. Witches, like most Muggle woman could not hold property. If she were widowed, the property could not be passed to her, but to the closest male. Since she would have no place to live, and no income she could either be married as a second wife, or adopted by someone else in the same tribe. "

He had been leaning forward, his arms on his knees, studying the pattern on the floor. He looked up at her suddenly realizing if anyone would understand the importance of this protection, it would be his Beth.

"If a widow died, prior to this remarriage, with children, they would be adopted by the families in the same tribe. Our tribe, as it is, is that of Magical, not to include Muggle," he continued to look at her.

"In an attempt to keep the laws from being forgotten, they were all written down. Over the years, they blended with the current laws. Since witches can own property, the old laws are ignored. They are however, still on the books. The law still states the Un-Married child must be adopted into a family. There is no mention of age.

This is what Albus is counting on. That since you were un-adopted, by the Ministry itself, it was the Ministry that must put things to right. To do so, they must literally, roll back to the earliest time, and set it right." He stood up to pace.

He saw her look of confusion.

"Beth, you were eleven. This law went into effect the instant your father fell on the floor. At that time you were not arrested, or sentenced. You did not have a child. If he pulls this off, you are safe," he sighed. "It would be as if the sentence was never passed, you had never been determined to be an undesirable and never had been banned from public places."

"Will I get my magic back?" She looked up suddenly hopeful.

"I don't think so. This will set the laws right, but physically everything will be the same," he sighed.

"Mum," a small voice came from down the hall.

"Son," he said, standing up. "After you shower and take your meal, that it seems you take later each day, we shall take a walk and discuss the state of your studies, and when we return your mother and I need to talk while you visit with Madame Pomfrey. I will collect you shortly. "

"Beth," he said before leaving. "In order to do this, it must be completed before you appear at the Wizengamot. It must be done today. Albus is making the arrangements. Be ready."

.

.

Severus, with hands folded behind his back walked slowly to allow Tobby's shorter stride to keep up with him. He intoned the verbs and listened as Tobby conjugated them. After a while, Severus looked down somewhat surprised to find the child at second year level.

"Well, Tobby that was adequate," he said. "How is it that your Latin so far surpasses your reading skills?"

Tobby grinned at the praise from his father. "Mother says sir, that all good Wizards should know all of their Latin by the time they have their first wand. It makes it easier to learn spells." He smiled widely looking up for more praise only to see a frown on his father's face.

"And Tobby, do tell me," his father continued smoothly, "does your Mother also teach you the words to the spells, just to prepare you?"

"Yep." Tobby puffed his chest out proudly. "We learn more every Sunday. She says since I got my running down good, we could learn the words I may need next."

Severus felt a coldness spread over his body, permeating to his very bone, as they silently walked back to the castle. He deposited Tobby into the watchful care of Poppy, and then went swiftly to find Beth

She was waiting for him, jumping up and running to him, her face ashen.

"Tob… Severus, Albus is waiting. We leave at once," Beth's face was fearful now that the time was upon her.

Reaching for her face, he stopped, lowering his arm, placing it instead to her elbow, they walked in silence to the Headmaster's office, once there, the four flooed to the Ministry.

"I am not sure about this, Headmaster." A woman Severus remembered from one of his classes many years ago stammered, "I mean adoption of a widow's chattel, I don't even know where to begin, I am sure the paperwork is around here someplace. You said the law was still valid?"

"Why would the Ministry have a form for a procedure that has not been done for a thousand years?" Severus sneered.

"Please Professor, I do not think taking that tone will work on me any longer." The clerk pulled back her shoulders and glared right back at him. "I will need to check with my Supervisor," she said turning to a door behind her.

"Losing your touch Severus?" Minerva chuckled. "That is something one does not see very often, a Huffelpuff with backbone."

"A Ravenclaw, Minerva, she was a Ravenclaw," he sneered, keeping his back stiff. He knew she had been a Huffelpuff but found he could not admit that to Minerva. He would rather she think him a low life liar and cheat, than to think he could no longer make a Huffelpuff quake in fear. "Yes, Minerva, quite sure she was a Ravenclaw."

"Whatever you say, Severus, whatever you say," she said as the clerk returned.

"Well." The clerk smiled. "Just a simple spell to be sure." Opening a small drawer she pulled out a blue wand. "So, where is the child, we will need the three of you holding hands for the oath to take."

Beth stepped forward, holding her hands out in front of her, both Minerva and Albus joined with her.

"Oh, I don't think so." The wand went back in the drawer. "Now Headmaster, do you have something to tell me here? Surely you cannot adopt an unborn child, and Professor McGonagall, I would have expected better than for you to condone this."

Severus smirked and tried to cover a small snort of laughter. _This was almost worth it_, he thought to himself… to see this Hufflepuff put those two in their places.

"I really don't care what a whore like that is doing at Hogwarts Headmaster, but I would have thought better of you, him maybe," she nodded her head at Severus, "but not you, if she is pregnant again, I need to notify the courts."

Severus had her pinned to the wall next to the already opening Supervisor's door before she realized what he had done. His hands around her throat, holding tightly,

"Never," he slowly sneered down at her, "never talk to her, about her or near her again," he rasped. "I do not need a wand to snap this neck."

Feeling Albus' hand on his, he released the witch, offering up small apologies to Albus, but none to the clerk.

"Miss Kibbings, take your lunch now." A stern voice came from a short bald man who had just come in. "You may want to decide if you care to press charges."

"No sir." She looked at the Headmaster and shook her head, then fled out the door.

"I am not one to be in the habit of allowing this type of behaviour in this or any other office," giving a curt nod he continued. "I will need an explanation before this procedure goes any further."

The four of them were lead into his office, all but Albus sitting, while the Headmaster paced and recited law after law, precedent after precedent.

Finally, the Supervisor went to the outer office, walking back carrying the small blue wand. He indicated that they should stand, then instructing them to join hands, he completed the ceremony with a short incantation, ending with a flash of yellow light.

"Congratulations to the three of you," he said with somewhat stiff false cheer. "Do sit Miss Dumbledore; I see we have another matter to go over."

Standing in the open doorway stood Tobby and a smiling Poppy. Severus and Beth were now to become the proud new adoptive parents of a black haired, black-eyed waif, left with no mother due to circumstances beyond anyone's control.

Severus realized what Albus had already known. Tobby's birth certificate was now invalid as his mother Elizabeth Gilstone would not have existed. Elizabeth Dumbledore and Severus Snape's names would now magically appear on all paperwork and registrations.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Twenty**

* * *

Elizabeth Gilstone did not appear at her scheduled appointment with the Wizengamot. Elizabeth Gilstone no longer existed. As Albus and Minerva's daughter, she was more than welcomed to stay at Hogwarts. As one of the two adopted parents of Tobby, it made complete sense for her to live close to the father in the dungeons.

She had not been comfortable returning to Hogwarts. It had taken a full week for the fear to leave her eyes and for her to be able to walk in the public hallways without hanging her head. She was surprised at the support she was receiving from all Houses.

Students actually stopped her in the hallways and told her they had read the stories in the Daily Prophet. They had followed her case and were glad to see that the Headmaster had once again had beaten the Ministry. A handful of the old school pure- bloods still hated her, but she did not let this bother her. She knew where their family loyalties ran.

After his last class of the day, Severus finished his grading, correcting, and logging of grades before setting off for Beth's chambers.

"Dad," Tobby yelled when he saw Severus at the door. "Are we walking today?"

"Get your mother," Severus smirked down at the child, "She needs to get some air as well."

"Do we have to? She makes me put on a jumper."

"Yes, she does." Severus almost grinned. "When she is cold she puts a jumper on you, it helps her keep warm."

The three of them walked together, and then returned to take their evening meals together in Beth's chambers. After Tobby yawned several times, Severus ordered him to bed with a scowl and a reprimand on bad manners.

"Severus," Beth said, still hesitant to use his real name. "Would you care to stay for a cup of tea?"

"Yes, and we need to talk about the boy's Latin lessons," he said slowly.

"Oh, isn't he doing wonderfully? You know the Muggles believe that the younger the child, the easier language is to learn. I don't remember _not_ knowing Latin. We sometimes spoke it at home."

"Really?" he said with mock interest. "And tell me Beth, how old were you when you learned spells?"

"Good Merlin," she stopped, biting her lip in thought. "I don't remember, I was doing household spells as soon as I could talk I guess, you know make the bed, pick up toys, things like that."

"And how old were you when you could say an unforgivable, Beth? Are you teaching my son that one also?" he said silkily, getting to the heart of the conversation.

Beth faltered. She knew this voice, low and dangerous. "Oh really, Severus, he is just learning his Latin, not studying spells. He just needs to … to be … ready."

"What Beth? Do go on," he stood crossing him arms over his chest. "Did your wand work also begin at such a tender age? Should we perhaps secure him a wand this weekend?"

"Now, Severus," she looked around nervously, "that was different, that was completely different."

"Really? When you started out, was it different? Did you know things were going to change? Did your father prepare you for it Beth? Did you enjoy learning the spell?" He was getting louder and flicked a silencing spell towards Tobby's door.

"Severus, really, you will wake him if you keep this up," she whispered to indicate he should lower his voice. "It was just customary in our house to learn things early, to… well, a child needs to learn protection."

He was over to her in a second, grabbing her shoulders, shaking her, forcing her to listen.

"Protection, Beth? Is that what this is? Does he need protection from us Beth? Does he need to learn to curse us, to fear us, because that is where this will lead. Does he _need_ to learn how to curse us? Or just me? Just the cruel father?" With this, he pushed her from him and into her chair.

"What of your temper, _Severus_?" she spat out his name at him. "What to the destruction you havoc when angry. I have heard of that anger, I can hear it in your voice, I felt it when you fucked me the last time, the time you said goodbye.

How soon before we hear that goodbye again?" She jumped to her feet and stood in front of him. "I know, I know Severus what you are capable of, and yes, I am scared. I know what you do when you go to your Lord. I have seen what you are capable of when you return. Remember? He will be prepared to stop you when you…"

It was reflex that brought up his arm and reflex that made the back of his hand meet with her cheek. It was to his complete and utter horror that he struck her so hard that blood came to her lip.

He glared at her and clenched his jaw, unable to talk, and unable to comfort her. He left the room, his robes billowing behind him thinking of how like his own father he had become. _I am not my father_, he thought. He returned to his chambers and reached for his whiskey knowing that what he had just done was very much like his father indeed.

Severus sat long into the night, just him and his good friend Ogden. He was lonely tonight, not just alone. At one time, he had wanted solitude, only now the same solitude that he once sought reminded him of what sat in the chambers down the hall and what he had done to push her away. He was pouring another glass of whiskey when his floo activated and Albus stepped through.

"How do you do this?" Severus sneered. "I am sure you have the castle charmed to bring you running when you are not wanted. That or you have spies that even I know nothing about."

"I hear there has been trouble, I thought to ask the horse about it," he said. "Of course expressions often confuse, do they not? Do I want the truth from the horse's mouth, or from the horse's arse? Perhaps I need to hear it from both."

"I hit her Albus, I drew back my hand and I hit her," he put the words out that he had been running in his head.

"You need to find the reason in yourself. If I thought you had planned to harm her, we would not be sitting here talking. I need your assurance that it will not happen again."

"I planned it no more than my father planned on beating my mother when he first laid a hand on her." Seeing his father's hand poised over his mother in his mind, he jumped up and began to pace.

"All I could see was her sitting in your lap that day at the Ministry … and then training the boy to do the same." He sighed, "I don't know Albus, I don't know, when she predicted that in the future I would harm them, I was so angry I could not see, then I fulfilled that prediction."

"You are nothing like him you know." Albus frowned.

"What are you on about old man?" Severus sneered. "I have never done that before. Never!"

"Your father was a cruel man," Albus spoke as if hearing Severus' thoughts. "You my lad, have been forced to do cruel things. The difference is the difference between heaven and hell. That is if you follow the Muggle thoughts on things."

"Or perhaps just a different level old man," Severus spat. "If you trust in Dante there is room for us all. Anyway you sound like Poppy now."

"No, I think I will trust in you, and Beth, to work things out. I would suggest waiting until morning, when your son is down at Hagrid's hut for his morning of pet sitting, before speaking to her." Albus looked over his spectacles, taking in Severus' measure.

"I am sure she is past that, Albus, past allowing me to be alone with her, even to talk to her," Severus sighed. "I would suspect she is correct in that."

"I will smooth the way Severus. I will convince her that she must talk to you for Tobby's good. However, I will ask you to talk in a public place, not where she will feel fearful. Severus, if this happens again, no matter the circumstances, you _will_ answer to me."

Severus was abed, not asleep but wishing for it, when he heard the floo in his outer chamber activate. Thinking it was Albus stopping in for a late night chat, as was his habit, he sat up reaching for his night robe, when Beth appeared in the doorway.

"Are you Tobias or Severus?" she said in a timid voice.

"Neither, or both, I don't know any longer," he answered truthfully watching her slowly approach him, seeing the silhouette of her body in the brighter light of the outer chambers.

"Then to be safe, I shall speak to Severus," her voice soft.

"Beth, don't do this. Not here, and not now."

She leaned over the bed laying her finger on his lips, as she looked into his eyes. "Albus said that sometimes you react to the situation, not the person. He said sometimes you are at a loss of how to deal with others." She sat on the edge of the bed looking at him. "He said that when you feel pushed into a corner, well, not that it is right, but that you do not know how to get out of that corner. I guess I don't either, I either kill or I pull away completely. I guess it makes some sort of sense, however with Albus one never knows."

"I know the feeling well." He nodded for her to continue.

"So," she took a large gulp of air, "we are going to have a safe word. Think of it as a mental portkey that takes us out of the situation and someplace kinder."

"A safe word? Like when having sex?" he asked puzzled.

"What?" She was puzzled for a completely different reason. "Why would I need a safe word for sex?"

"Never mind," he smirked. "Later, on that. What type of safe word?" He thought he recovered nicely, however, now that the subject had been broached he found himself looking over her body.

"If I start making you really angry, you are to say something to make me stop," she smiled.

"I don't need a safe word. It is you that I hurt, it is you that would need one," he frowned not understanding what she meant.

"No," she said as her hand covered his lips. Shaking her head, she lowered her hand and continued. "Well, Albus thought, and I quite agree, that sometimes I start in one place and wind up going down a different path. You know, like being mad about your doing something today but bringing up something that you may have said, say four, five years ago, just because I did not take issue with it then, of course that does not mean that I have forgotten or forgiven. Once I even, oh never mind that, but once as a child I think I read I can't remember where…"

"Beth, fast, I think I will need that safe word in about 30 seconds," he smirked.

"Kiss me." She said brightly.

He did without a thought, crushing her to his naked chest, clinging to her, stroking her through the thin dressing gown. He heard a moan of pleasure, but did not know if it was his or hers. When her hands came up to push him away, he was surprised and a little angry.

"No you fool," she smiled, "I meant … kiss me."

"Oh," he muttered sluggishly, still staring at her lips and did so again. This time he pulled her to him as he laid down, dragging her on top of him.

It had been too long, far, far too long since he had taken her. He flipped her so she was now under him, seeking the hem of her dressing gown, his hand smoothed up her leg, feeling her wetness, stroking at the apex of her thighs. He continued up, up to her long unkissed breasts, then lowering his head, he gently kissed and sucked as he positioned himself over her, kneeling between her thighs, wanting nothing more than this.

Rising to his knees, he pulled her up to a sitting position, lifted off her nightgown and pushed her back down. Removing his clothes with a flick of his hand and a silent incantation, he lowered himself to his arms on either side of her head, supporting his weight and looking down at her as he again lowered his mouth to hers.

He felt her legs around his thighs, heard her sighs, watched as she locked her eyes to his, no longer afraid or embarrassed by intimacy, no longer averting her eyes when he was over her. He pushed into her, watching her eyes as they filled with tears.

Not moving until she took a breath, he pushed her hair from her face. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, and reached up, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him down and sobbing into his neck. "I thought you would never want me again."

"Do you want me to stop?" he choked, trying to keep his voice steady

"No, no," she shook her head furiously. "I need you. I need you to love me. Please, don't stop."

He slid one arm under her and pulled her closer as he stroked into her, trying to go slowly, kissing her eyes and tasting her tears. She clung to him, until he lost himself again, and pushing up on both hands began to move faster, hearing her cry for Tobias. He felt himself quicken, and knew he couldn't wait for her, and in an explosion of release he lowered his forehead to hers as his jaw clenched and his back stiffened. He slowly rolled to her side and pulled her to him.

"Maybe we need a different safe word," she said, wiping her tears away as she smiled at him.

"Safe word?" He breathed heavily, still fighting for his breath. "Did I hurt you?"

"Whatever are you on about Severus?" she asked.

He tipped up her chin and studied her face. "I thought this was another one of those times you cry when you are … emotional."

"I am happy, happy because I love you." She reached up and kissed him quickly. "But I don't think you understand what a safe word is."

"When having sex, the type of sex that is sometimes painful, couples have a safe word. This word is the signal to stop whatever is happening. If, as you said, you needed a new safe word, I would assume that I have hurt you."

"Severus, have you ever heard of Abbot and Costello, the Muggles?" she asked rolling onto her back laughing.

"No." He frowned at her.

"Oh well, listen. The safe word is _kiss me_." She said through her tears of laughter. "If I am becoming undone, if I am going on and on and on, before you get angry you are to say Kiss Me." She laughed harder seeing his face. "It's for you to shut me up with."

"Oh." He frowned, realizing what had just happened. Groaning, looking upward, he felt like a teenager caught in an inappropriate act.

"Beth, you will have one also, for now, in this bed if you ever need it," he said, turning serious.

When she started to protest, he silenced her with a look.

"Beth, I am not a sadistic lover, although I can be. I do not take pleasure in giving pain in bed. I do not _purposely_ give it, but I cannot promise that if you come to me as Severus, and at that time I take you as a Death Eater, I can guarantee that my anger will not take over. I will punish you for the pain I feel. I will hurt you then. _This I can promise_. At those times, I stop thinking and stop feeling. Chose a safe word Beth, and give it to me."

And she did. The word empowered her. It took away the last vestige of fear that this act held for her. She needed the word, she gave him what he needed, the word that would give her power. Her word was Tobby. The walking embodiment of the love of Tobias Prince, and Beth Stone, Tobby was her safe port, and a port that would call Severus home.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Twenty One**

* * *

Severus' son was six years of age now, taller than many of his classmates in the Hogsmeade day school. He was a sullen, inward looking child, except when in the presence of the Hogwarts staff, then he was outward going, pleasant and well mannered. However, he was still his father's son and would at times become withdrawn and reflective.

In the confines of their now combined chambers, Severus was hard-edged, sneering, sharp-tongued, and protectively loving. He learned to be caring, at times gentle and struggled to be a patient father although he frowned over hearing Beth's ongoing lessons with him.

Severus' nights were mostly spent reading essays, grading papers and patrolling the hall, no longer called to Voldermort's side as often as he had been, he worried about what was happening and felt powerless. He began to worry if he had fallen out of favour, if his family was safe, if he had been found out. One night as he was attending dinner in the Great Hall, he gasped and grabbed his left arm. Looking up at the Headmaster, he had nodded and left, thinking that after all this time whatever the Dark Lord wanted would be worse than what he had asked for before.

.

.

.

He bowed as soon his feet touched the grassy plot of land where the Dark Lord waited. "My Lord," he said as he prepared to block his mind. "I am here to do your bidding."

"Ah, my loyal servant," Voldemort's voice filled the quiet clearing. "Please rise. I have need of you this evening."

"Yes my Lord," Severus kept his face blank.

"I have a couple of blood traitors that must be negotiated with. I fear they have little to offer us." The Dark Lord smiled, waving his wand to indicate the agreement with the others in attendance. "Perhaps some sort of offering should be made to me. Some sort of tithing should be made."

"How may I help my Lord?" Severus stood stonily.

"You will take three with you. One is a new recruit that still has to prove himself. Show them how we deal with Mudblood traitors, but make sure it is the young Malfoy that throws the curse," Voldemort hissed. "You will take them to the McCaughey's, if I remember you are familiar with him."

"Yes My Lord," Severus bowed, sweeping his arm back in a formal gesture. "However, I fail to see the need of four to take but one child."

"Ah, my good servant, are you questioning me?" Voldemort hissed.

"Of course not, My Lord," Severus knew he had stepped too far.

Severus had no choice then but to walk over to where the new recruit stood waiting for him. Looking at the black caped and masked figures of his two assistants, he nodded to the apparation point and began walking toward it.

"Well Uncle, it appears we are finally together," Draco's voice came to Severus.

"Do you think this will be easy Draco?" Severus spat at him. "Have you killed before? Have you cast an unforgivable on a child?"

He turned from Draco and walked to the apparation point angrily. Once there, they left in a crack of thunder. When they arrived at the Muggle house Draco held back. Seeing his hesitation Severus became more furious, and thought he could easily kill Lucius for forcing this on his son.

Severus sent Draco around to the back door, telling him not to enter until they cleared the way, until he and the others were in position. Then turning to the others he sent them in the front at once, hoping to spare Draco casting the curse.

He entered behind the two Death Eaters, blocking their retreat, his wand aimed at their backs. In quick succession, he cast two Avada Kedavra curses and pulling off his mask raced up the stairs, meeting Mr. McCaughey on the steps. He quickly cast a spell to modify his memory and sending him downstairs to stand over the dead Death Eaters he rushed to the back and intercepted Draco.

"Trap," he gasped pulling Draco out with him. Running toward the apparation point, he was relieved to hear Draco's feet pounding after him. They quickly spun away, landing again in the grassy field. Severus snatched his mask off at once, striding up to Draco he yanked him around to face him.

"You lead me into a trap you fool," Severus hissed at him. "If the Dark Lord does not kill you I may myself." Turning to the Dark Lord and falling on one knee, he reported the failure they had met.

"You believe Draco Malfoy is the reason for this failure?" Voldemort hissed.

"Either him or one of the other two that now lie dead at the Muggle's house," Severus said evenly. "I was led to believe this Muggle-born did not know we were coming, yet he had set a trap."

"My Lord, on my name," Draco's voice shook, "I had no knowledge of this."

"Severus, leave me now. I have another job for our young friend here," Voldemort smiled. "He will learn not to be lax next time. Next time on his mother's life, he will not fail."

Severus returned to his chambers and grabbed his whiskey. He felt sickened to know that Draco had taken the mark. Smashing his glass into the fireplace, he stood taking large breaths to still his nerves, and tried to keep his stomach from heaving. His only thought was to keep Draco from casting the unforgivable that would earn him Azkaban.

Beth had heard him come home and running into the sitting area found him leaning on the mantel, staring into the fire. Walking up and putting a hand on his arm, she had wanted to comfort him, but had misjudged his silence. Thinking he was exhausted, she had not been ready for his reaction to her.

Slapping her hand off his arm, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. His mouth closed over hers, smothering any sound of protest. He ripped her gown off her shoulders, kissing and biting at her neck and shoulders, ignoring her protests.

Ripping her dressing gown from her body, he wanted to devour her. He ran his mouth down her throat, not gently nipping, but biting her nipples, not hearing her cries of pain. He pushed her to the floor, forced her onto her knees, his length in his hand, as he positioned himself over her. Grabbing her hair in his fist he forced her head down to the floor as he plunged into her, firm and hard, not waiting, not caring that she was not ready for him.

Flashes of the other, the one with silver hair and the long steps down to the dungeons flashed in her mind, she heard her father's laugh, and felt the same fear now as she had then.

One hand gripped her hips, one left her hair and slid around her throat, as he continued to thrust into her. She twisted, trying to get free, to pull away.

"Tobby, Tobby, Please Severus, Tobby…"

He held still, then leaned back slowly, pulling out of her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "That's all witch, that's all," he panted his breath coming short. "I need you, stay with me tonight. Just stay."

He was angry that he had tried to hurt her, he was angry that she had come to him, and he was angry he had lost control. He held her until he felt safe enough to control his need, then picking her up, he carried her to his bed, lying next to her, and holding her he fell asleep.

.

.

It was near the holidays that things began to go horridly wrong. Severus had found out that Albus had foolishly poisoned himself, a poison that was slowly withering his arm and would slowly take his life. In an effort to keep the fool alive long enough to finish the war, Severus poured vials of potions into him, to slow the progress of the fatal illness.

In the recent days owls had dropped small parchments onto his plate during the morning meals. Some of them blank, others with small black borders and a single name, sometimes hers, sometimes Tobby's. Today's missive had a different name that made him snap his head up and see look at Draco, who had sat watching him as the owl had arrived.

Severus watched Draco turn even whiter than his normal pallor and stand, almost tripping over the bench before running out of the door. One student had already been injured, and another poisoned, in attempts on the Headmaster's life. Now he knew without a doubt who Draco's next test would be.

Whispering in Dumbledore's ear, he left the hall and after collecting the potions he'd brewed to slow the poison that was destroying Albus' life, he went to the Headmaster's office to wait for him. Thinking he could convince Albus to speak to Draco he was horrified to hear what his Headmaster had planned instead.

"Albus, you cannot expect me to give you this Oath, I will not do it," he again stated flatly.

"But Severus, lad," Albus chuckled, "it seems you have all ready taken it, just down a different path. It would be like killing two birds with one stone. You would be keeping to your oath with Narcissa, and keeping mine."

"A poor choice of words old man," he seethed.

"Albus, I call on your Oath to me." He ran his hands through his hair. "If I do this what happens to Beth? What happens to my son?"

"Your oath to Narcissa would have…"

"Would have left them safe and in your care." Severus sat down heavily. "I never planned to survive this. If I could not get Draco out of it any other way I would die by not fulfilling the oath, knowing that Draco was safe and my family would be taken care of."

"I have not forgotten," Albus said sternly at Severus' insinuation that he would ignore a wizard's oath.

"Then tell me, _oh great father of mine_," Severus sneered, "How will they be protected once I kill you? Who will care for them when you and I are gone? Do you think they will let her have my inheritance? Tell me how my son can be raised here?"

"They will be taken care of." Albus frowned.

"Albus, if you are gone… and I manage to escape, they will come for her. They will have her, and my son. I will never see her again. I don't know if it would be different if I had friends that I saw on occasion, or students that stayed in touch years after graduating as you do. If I had her for seventy years as many married couples have each other, could I let her go any easier? Would it hurt less Albus? Would it?" He shook his head, continuing.

"If we had produced a family to rival the Weasleys, would it hurt less to lose one, or two? If my parents were alive, if I had friends to sit down and have a pint with, would it hurt less?" He asked again.

"What are you asking son?" Albus asked sadly.

"I have no family or friends to watch over my family Albus. Unlike you, I have no one to come running to her side. Who will weep with her? Who will go to the funerals with her? If in fact after this act, I am allowed one, who will sit with her? Albus understand this, I will make the Oath you ask of me, but in return, I must believe that she will have a place to turn. That she will be taken care of in this world or the Muggle one, she has no magic Albus, she cannot survive this world without it."

"She is legally my daughter Severus. She will have the full love and support of all that love and support me. She is my only heir. I thought you understood the reason for the adoption fully. Surely, you did not think it was just as a bed warmer for you." Albus scowled. "She was the first year that was lost to us. I was unable to help her then. I can do so now. She will find a few vaults full, enough to survive in the Muggle world for a few decades, if she so decides. What else concerns you Severus?" He asked still frowning deeply.

"She needs her magic restored," he stated flatly.

"It will be done. What else concerns you Severus?" He continued to frown.

"I want Tobby's education assured, not the cost, the acceptance. The assurance he will not be treated as the bastard son of a Death Eater," Severus looked up to Albus's eyes.

"I cannot dictate the feelings of others. However, I will do everything I can. What else concerns you Severus?" Albus waited for Severus to answer, and thinking that the young wizard had not heard, he turned to repeat the question when he heard the reason.

"I want her as my wife," Severus said softly.

"Have you told her this?" he asked with the same frown.

"No, nor can I until this final battle comes, until it is over, and if I fulfil your oath I won't live long enough to see it. She will be a target for the Dark Lord once I am gone. A wife and child of mine would be the target of every Death Eater in the country. I cannot ask her," he finished.

"Severus, she does not think you love her," Albus sighed deeply.

"What? How could she not?" Severus did not know what to say.

"Oh, let me see, perhaps it is because you told her you did not. Or it could have been the turn of words you used many years ago, about not making things between you into more than they are," Albus sighed. "Then again, what would I know? Children do not confide in their parents as much as they used to."

"Severus kneel before me and take the Oath," Albus demanded. In a swirl of magic and a flash of light, the Oath was sealed. Severus stood, scowled, and turned to leave.

"Severus," Albus spoke to Severus' back. "The Oath I gave to you will continue to my death. You and yours will have the very magic you require, I have bequeathed this to her. This is to be the last of my inheritance. You and Beth will share my magic. It is rather like creating a vessel for a soul, as Tom has done, only you and she are my vessels."

"You are crazy old man," he whispered. Then turning to Albus, he crossed the room to the older wizard, and, for the first time in memory, Severus Snape wrapped his arms around the shoulders of a Wizard, embracing another, and allowing himself to be embraced.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

* * *

It had been decided that Beth and Tobby would spend a short holiday at Minerva's summer home on the northern reaches of Scotland's shore. Set on a high cliff above the crashing waves, Beth had spent a month, just her and Tobby, and of course Millie.

Severus had insisted, saying that she was too long in the dungeons, that she needed some sun on her skin, that Tobby could use the time to play out of doors and that Millie was on his last nerve. At least she had laughingly believed the last part.

Millie could not only find that nerve, no matter how deeply he thought it had been buried, but she would also sit on it, grinding her little elf heel in it, smiling and grinning all the time. Ever since he had promised to give her Muggle books in exchange for helping him and Miss Figg create a Muggle house out of his at Spinner's End, she had demanded books.

She had often watched them spar with one another and admired the little elf's tenacity. Once she had curled up in Severus' chair just to watch, as it was always a good show. Severus and Millie had stood toe to toe, both with arms crossed, both with heads tilted back, he looking down his nose, she peering up over hers.

"Sir said he would get me Muggle words," Millie had demanded. .

"I did nothing to indicate that this was a life long endowment or that I could or would override the limited number of books in Hogsmeade."

"Sir, is a most honourable Master. Master would never go back on bargain." Millie had tilted her head toward Beth.

"You? My own family house elf, has the nerve to stand there in nothing but a pillow case and make demands of me?" he had stormed incredulously.

"No sirs, never that Master Sir. I have my duty to the house of Snape to make take care of you to serve you sir." She'd smiled sweetly. "I never allow my sir to forget his honour, to bring down the Snape House for such a little thing, such a wee little things, sir."

"Millie I am warning you. There will be no more of this nattering."

"Sir Master Sir, such a little thing this is. Missus should decide if you honour is good sirs, maybe she could decides the bargain still stands." Millie stood as tall as she could.

Severus had wanted to reach for his wand. "Millie, I forbid you to ask the Missus such a thing. She need not interfere between a Master and his elf."

"Yes sir Master, it was an old bargain. A cleaning bargain, I seem to remember." The tiny elf had tilted her head to the side, tapping her lips with one finger as if remembering the bargain struck and the deal solidified when she and Miss Figg had readied Spinners End for Beth's arrival at a Muggle house.

"That is quite alright Millie. I had planned a trip to the West End this week anyway. It will be no bother," he'd nearly finished with clenched teeth, but had to add, "Are we done now you overgrown ear flapping, wrinkly hand wringing, poor excuse for a house elf, newt?"

"Yes my too tall, mean speaking, illustrious haired, grumpy Master." She'd smiled sweetly. .

Elizabeth smiled, again remembering the exchange. Severus Fucking Snape, Headmaster's favourite, Git of the Dungeons, every first year's terror, brought down to a quivering mass of gibbering mouthed nothing by a mere house elf. She loved it.

One day, as they sat outside reading, Tobby riding his new Muggle bike up and down the pavement, Elizabeth found herself grinning at the memory, as she watched Millie reading one of the new books.

"Millie," she asked, "why do you and Master argue over the books all the time?"

"He likes to argue, Missus, and I has to remind him," she said simply.

"I know he enjoys a good debate now and then, but why about books?"

"To reminds him Missus. To reminds him he loves you," Millie said in surprise.

"Remind him of _what_ Millie?" she asked, not sure she heard correctly.

And Millie told her about the ruse, and Miss Figg, and the plan to make her stay. Seeing the look of surprise on Beth's face Millie reminded her that if she needed to know something, she only had to ask.

When the holidays were over and term once again had begun, Severus had still refused to have them return to Hogwarts. He told Beth to stay behind, it was better for Tobby, it was safer and it was more comfortable. She had argued with him, but in the end as she knew he would, he had won.

She missed Severus. She found herself looking out the windows, up toward the paths that lead to the apparation point hoping to see him walking up to the house. She had a surprise for him, a surprise he had missed last time, but this time he would be here. Her hand rested over the new life growing in her and she smiled, no longer afraid that he would not want a child, but having the knowledge that he would love it.

She did not want to owl him the news, and the floo seemed too impersonal. She had an idea to visit him for the night. It had been too long since they had shared a bed and she so wanted to see his face when she told him of the baby.

"Now, Millie, don't worry," Beth smiled at the elf. "I sent an owl to Rosmerta. She will have a room ready for us," Beth packed as she talked to the elf. "Then, once I am unpacked I can floo Severus and he can come for just the night. He has late patrol so no one will even miss him. "

Millie paced back and forth watching Beth pack. She kept shaking her head and muttering.

"Okay, Millie, I shall be home by 10:00 AM. If I you need anything just floo," she said preparing to leave, biting her lip and looking at the elf nervously. "Millie, what am I worried about? You two have a good time, and I will make sure you get an extra book next time."

She stepped into the floo and threw down the powder, stepping out only a moment later in the Three Broomsticks. When she walked out of the fireplace, she heard Rosmerta let out a startled gasp. "Elizabeth, you should not be here. You know times are unsafe." She said hurrying over and pulling Beth aside.

"Rose, I sent an owl, I told you I was coming. You did save a room back did you not?" Beth was clearly confused. "Anyway, I will need to owl the Professor, this is a surprise, he doesn't know I am here." She smiled, as the first of the Death Eaters appeared in the streets outside in claps of thunder.

Rosmerta shoved her roughly to the stairway. "Up there, I can't send you back now. They will have used anti-apparation spells. Severus will kill me if he finds you here, why do you think he sent you up there anyway?" Rosmerta said angrily to her. "Everyone seems to know the danger he is in but you. Now I have the closest thing to a Muggle to worry about. Up girl, up," she yelled pointing to the stairs.

Beth saw Rosmerta grab her wand just before she turned and ran up the stairs. All around her, she could hear the thunderclaps as more and more Death Eaters poured into town. She saw flashes of light and she smelled burning wood and an underlining sweet smell of burning meat. She let her back slide down the wall until she was sitting on the floor with her hands over her head, her arms tightly held over her ears. The screaming brought her close to the edge, but the crying of a child almost undid her.

Surely, she was mistaken. Surely, there were no children here, not here, not now. Crawling to the window, she rose just high enough to look outside and searched for the sound that she kept hearing.

After more than twenty minutes of ducking for cover and peering outside, she felt the entire outer wall of the building shudder. She ran out the door, down the stairs, calling for others as she went. Finally reaching the ground floor, she saw that the only people still there were the injured. Having just come in for safety, they did not know the back wall had been damaged, and that the building could now collapse and crush them if one more wall weakened. Grabbing the first person she came to by the arm, she explained what she saw from the window and of the relative safety of the back yard with a tiny shed.

"Does anyone else hear the crying?" She looked around at the people heading out the back door.

"We tried to get her, she is safe for now, just scared lassie." An old man patted her hand, "We really tried, but…" he shrugged his shoulders tiredly, "my wife is injured … I couldn't get both. The crying is from under the steps, across the street."

They others looked at him sadly as she suddenly realized that they all were much older than she had seen in her haste, none of them in any shape to do more than seek a safe place to hide.

Even with no magic, her hand suddenly ached for a wand as the air around her crackled. As an amputee reaches his missing arm to open a door, she lifted hers, feeling awash in magic, hearing Albus' voice telling her to trust, to call for what she needed, telling her it was hers to reach out and take. She called, 'Accio' and suddenly felt a liquid fire surround her, as magic filled her, spun around her and surged to life in the cold flames. A cold wind flung her to the floor in a swirl of frigid air and the vision of Albus falling into grey mist seemed to shimmer in front of her.

She sat up sucking air into her lungs, confused by what had happened, she looked down at her hand that now held a wand and continued to look for personal damage. Surely a spell had hit her, surely this could not be what she thought. Hearing the cries again she did not have the time to wonder about her sudden burst of magic. She turned to the old man and demanded his wand, then taking it she ran to the front door, crouched down, waited until it was clear and darted across the street.

She had to say a simple levitation spell twice before the wooden beam finally agreed to move out of her way. On her hands and knees, dirty, cut, scraped, she crawled forward, swearing at the way she was dressed, as if expecting a hot date on a Saturday night instead of more suitable jeans. She had never transfigured clothing, and didn't know the incantation to do so now.

She finally got close enough to the child, who she could then see was wearing Hogwarts robes. Remembering her as a second year Ravenclaw, she smiled, knowing in the telling that she would convince Severus she was a sixth year Slytherin.

"Amy" she whispered. "It is Amy, right?" she waited for the girl's reaction, she was already sure of the name.

"Get away, there is only room for one, get out," Amy hissed. "They will find me, if you stay here. Go. I lost my wand. Mom will have a fit. I can't find it any place."

"It's okay, Amy," Beth tried to talk to her when she heard Amy's voice rising.

"I just came into town to get my brother a birthday present, he will be five you know, he thinks five can come to my school, and that…," Amy stopped and licked her lips, looking at Beth tearfully. "I think I lost my wand. Do you think she will be mad? Dad had blood on him and then they took his wand, after they covered him. Moms going to be so mad."

"Yep, Amy, been here before." She looked at the girl hard, knowing the girl would soon be unable to help herself and give in to the terror around her. "And ya know what girl? I ain't ever going there again, no sir. Been there, done that. Now listen to me, we can both cry later but right now you listen to me and do what I say."

"Now," she continued as Amy stared, hearing the order of an adult and nodding. "We are going to crawl on over there, across the street. Then I am going to get a great big bottle of Ogden's Finest, I plan on getting rip roaring drunk, finding my husband, ravishing his body, and then I will cry. I'll cry in the here and now, not under the steps thinking I am somewhere else. Are we clear there girl? Good. Now, get off your arse." Beth started back crawling to the entrance relieved to see Amy following.

She knew if she kept talking to the girl about things outside of herself, they had a chance of making it, one inward glance and the girl would lose what little hold she had on reality.

"So Amy, ya know what I had planned I mean _really_ planned, you see I don't have a husband, just sort of said that, because I am the older respected witch. He may never marry me, but right now I don't care. Just like I don't think your mum will give a rat's ass about you losing your wand. Now I just want to find him."

Beth was still crawling backwards over broken bits of building materials', looking up to make sure Amy was following. She had to keep talking to the girl, to get her to listen, to give her a reason to follow.

"That's what I was going to do tonight, I was going to find him and tell him a big secret. Now, we are not sitting here to wait for the building to fall on our heads, now are we?" She pulled Amy to her feet and pushed her back. "When I say three we run. One, two, and then we run on three. Got it Amy? Good girl." They both nodded, looking into the other's eyes.

She pulled the girl to her feet, looking around desperately. "Ok Amy, trust me. Now, remember the plan, and keep thinking you can do it. Okay, let's start counting. First number," Beth took one final look down the street and yelled, "THREE."

Amy's trainers pounded the pavement keeping step with Beth, as they reached the threshold Beth threw herself on the floor, pulling Amy down with her. Crawling to the back door, Amy stopped just long enough to grab something off the lower shelf. When they had finally reached the shed, Amy handed Beth a bottle of Ogden's Finest.

"Ya know, Miss Dumbledore, you are one crazy witch," Amy said looking at Beth in wonderment.

They both looked at each other, Beth's mouth twitching, Amy amazed at the older witch's behaviour. Looking at each other they broke into laughter.

That is how Severus found her. His Beth on her knees, hugging a student, laughing, a bottle of whiskey in one hand, and a wand fisted in the other. Beth had just relaxed enough to sit back on her knees when he yanked her up and pushed her against the wall of the shed.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed at her. "If you have put him in danger, if he is hurt…" Severus was so angry he could not form words. He pulled her back from the wall and slammed her against it again.

"No, No, he is safe he is with Millie," she gasped in pain. "Severus, please. What is going on?"

He made no move nor spoke. He stood there, holding her against the wall his fingers grasping her so hard bruises were already forming. He just stood and looked at her.

"Severus. Please, you are hurting me." She struggled to free herself, the coldness of his face scaring her. "Severus what happened? What is wrong?"

She begged for an answer. His only response was licking his parched lips and looking around as if he feared he was being watched. Seeing no one, he turned back to her, still saying nothing.

"Severus, I don't know what happened, I have my magic back, not strong yet, but I can feel it as if it is growing. I found a wand…" she started.

"I hope you find it worth the price my dear," he rasped angrily. "I hope you enjoy it and use it well.

He lowered his head to her lips, then thinking better of it, pulled back just before his lips touched hers.

"Severus, what happened?" she whispered, afraid to hear the answer.

"I have come to see you. Now, I have done so." With his robes billowing behind him he left the shed.

"Severus!" she shouted, running after him, grasping his arm.

"Tobias, please, tell me what is going on." She sought his face in the dark.

"Tobias, my dear," he sneered, stopping to see her, running his finger down her throat one last time, "is dead. I would suggest you bury him and move on."

"You… I… don't do this!" she demanded, "damn you if you do this to me again."

"I have been damned quite enough my dear." He laughed at her, sounding hollow and cold. Then turning into the dark, he was gone.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

* * *

Elizabeth and Amy had moved to an open field, keeping low to the ground, resting on their stomachs. Beth would not risk apparating with her magic so newly returned and Amy did not have a wand. Elizabeth thought that being in the open afforded two advantages. They could see further, not worrying about what was around the next piece of rubble, and Death Eaters would not be walking through the open field looking for them. It was almost daylight by the time most of the fires had died down, the yellow of the sky turning to a bright orange, to the now soft glow of embers.

Amy had fallen asleep, curled into a ball. Beth leaned over and determined it was only the deep sleep of a child and not the wandering of a mind. She was glad of this. She knew how hard it was to come back. She would not cry for Severus, she could not; she would deal with that latter. _Please let me not think of it_, she silently pleaded as she searched the field for something, anything to do.

Sitting up she clapped her hands and said "Millie" hoping that the bond was strong enough for the house elf to hear and come to her from so far. Almost immediately, the house elf was before her. "Thank Merlin, Millie, thank Merlin."

"Yes Missus Master, what can I do's for you?" Millie with an unaccustomed formality bowed deeply.

"Millie, why are you calling me Missus Master?"

"The old Master, he give me to you, he say I no longer the House of Snape. He say I now House of Dumbledore." Millie bowed low, the nose almost to the ground.

"Millie, I need to go home, to Hogwarts." Beth reached out to stroke Millie softly, surprised when the house elf pulled back, refusing to the touched.

"Hogwarts not you home. House of Dumbledore now for you. I wills take you there to be with Tobby."

Beth hesitated at the elf's lack of title for Tobby, Millie had always titled the young boy.

"Millie, you will answer me. I need to know what has happened." She attempted to grab the elf's shoulders.

Millie pointed a finger at Amy, snapped her finger, and Amy was gone. "She is home now. Home of her mother"

Beth sighed, "Thank you Millie, now, you said all I have to do is ask, I am asking what happened."

"Millie is now house of Dumbledore, cannot talk of House of Snape, Master," the elf bowed.

"I am not your Master," she all but screamed at the elf.

"Yes Master, old Sirs kills the new old master. I now belong to you, you are the Missus Master and your, is not mine Master no more," Millie started to weep.

Beth knelt down in front of the elf.

"Millie? Who is dead Millie?" she pleaded. "I don't understand."

"Headmaster is dead, Master," Millie wailed.

She did not ask by whose hand. She did not have to ask, she now understood the elf. She saw Severus in her mind the last time she had seen him. She heard his words again. He had told her Tobias was dead, that she should move on. She felt the magic just under her skin and knew where it had come from. Without shedding a tear, without a thought, she turned to walk back to Hogsmeade, to pass through the smoldering streets, to walk up the lane to Hogwarts.

Minerva saw her coming up the walk toward the school. They both stood still, looking at one another until Minerva turned and walked back into the castle unable to face her, unable to grieve for Albus with a witch that would be grieving for his murderer. Beth could not reach the dungeons. Aurors and Ministry officials were blocking the hallways, letting no one pass. Staff members stood back, watching them haul Severus' books and personal belongings away. She felt sickened at the sight of his rooms opened to strangers and no one standing up for him. Beth turned to go to the infirmary and talk to Poppy, seeking information on what would happen next. When she finally found Poppy, the medi-witch was sitting at her desk in tears. She looked up and saw Beth standing in the doorway.

"Oh my dear," Poppy stood going over to Beth and shutting the door. "You really should not be here. If the Aurors find you here they will want to take you to London for questioning."

"Poppy, I had no idea this was going to happen," Beth sobbed. "Please believe me."

"I know my dear," she sighed. "Severus was seen. There is no question that it was him. That he could do this, that he could turn this way, I do not understand it. Why they want anything to do with any of us is beyond me, they should be after him."

"Poppy?" Beth said quietly, "Have you heard anything? Do you know why?"

"No, and I don't know if I want to. Perhaps not knowing would be easier." Poppy's eyes sparkled with tears. "If we don't know there is still hope. Whatever will happen without the Headmaster? I can't imagine Hogwarts without him; I can't imagine what will happen now."

"I should leave." Beth said standing up, "I am not wanted here. I know Poppy, you and Minerva would never say anything, but I don't think I'm wanted here right now."

"Will you be coming back?" Poppy stood to hug the witch goodbye.

"No." Beth smiled. "I have everything I need, and none of them are in Hogwarts anymore."

She returned to the Dumbledore Estate and began preparations. She would return to the Muggle world. There was a safety in Muggle London she did not find here. Muggles would leave her alone, ignore her, and not intrude on her privacy. She had lived there longer than she had here. She wondered how much easier it would be to live as a Muggle with magic, and enough money not to worry about being on the streets.

She read the Daily Prophet over breakfast. Looking first at the pictures for some sign of him, some hope. She saw other faces, but not his. She read the story with quotes from students and staff telling how wonderful the Headmaster had been. She searched for some hint that it was other than what it was.

Every article stated that a Severus Snape had stepped up, had held the wand, and had cast the curse. She would not read those articles, flipping the page as soon as she knew what the article contained. She knew as she sat in Albus' home, as his elves waited on her, that it was not true. It could not be. All she knew was that she could not continue to live here. Not in Dumbledore's home when his murderer's son slept in the next room. She threw the paper to the floor and ran upstairs to finish packing.

After visiting Gringotts, Beth opened a Muggle bank account, and purchased a rather modest home in an area just south of Bath. She furnished it in a style reminiscent of Mum. Floral prints, overstuffed chairs, a large and tidy kitchen.

She found a job at a small pharmacy on the outskirts of town. Working only three days a week, she had plenty of time to spend learning to drive and even purchased a small car. Beth enrolled Tobby in school, and after learning to curb his newfound magic he was fine. They went by the names of Bet and Tobias Stone. She only needed to do one more thing before her transformation would be complete. She saw him off to school before starting out to the Alley for what would be her last time.

"Tom, it has been a long time."

"Yes, longer than I would think possible. Have you heard from him?" Tom had thought of Severus as soon Beth entered the Leaky Cauldron.

"No, Tom. I don't think I shall," she said quietly. "They have it all wrong you know. He could not have done this.

"The Ministry is lost, he is being held for trial, but everyone knows it will be a farce." Tom watched for her reaction. "Don't you worry, he can get out of it, you'll see. Once he is out and safe he will want you with him."

"No, I cant believe that Tom. If you could have seen his face that last night in Hogsmeade, if you could have heard him," she shook her head looking down. "No Tom, I don't think so, not this time."

Tom reached over and patted her round middle. "You never know Bet. These are dark times. I would not have thought it of him, but what other proof do we have?"

"Tom, I need a favour." She looked at the horrified look on his face, "No, no Tom, not another portkey, my magic has returned remember?"

"You had me there for a moment." He sighed in relief.

"No you horse's ass, I would not try that again. But he needs a wand." She smiled sweetly.

"A little young for training wouldn't you say?" he queried, one brow rising.

"He has to be ready Tom, he has to. They will know who his father is when he returns to this world. He will have to be ready. He will make his father proud. He will. And, he will have to take care of his baby sister if anything happens to me in the mean time."

"Beth, tell me, do you ever plan on being with child and having a Wizard around at the same time, or is this just your style? It worries me. It really does Beth." He leaned forward on the table.

"Tom, when I found out about the child it was too late to tell him. He had gone back to Hogwarts and I didn't want to tell him by owl, you know…I wanted to see his face when I told him, and I thought he would be happy. Than," she shrugged. "My world just ended and everyone says he went back to his lord. Now, until the trial is over I can't tell him, and if there is something else going on it would only put him in danger. Either way we are done, he refuses my owls, he … it's over. I know it's wrong, but I have to take the kids someplace they are wanted, someplace safe."

"Not ended Bet," he said, "just changed. Things always change, sometimes for the good, sometimes not. Bet, this world will be so much better when this is all over. You should walk into the Alley, talk to people. They want the change too. If Dumbledore's death is to mean anything, we all have to stay and fight this thing. We have to fight to make sure the trials are fair, that the Ministry is again under controll, that this will never happen again."

"I know Tom, I really do." she replied softly. "But for me it is over. I will have two to care for now. I can't do it here. I don't belong. I am the outsider, the one that made things difficult for him, for both him and the Headmaster."

"No Bet, for you it is all here. Everything Albus could have done, everything he did to help you stay here, don't throw it away. The trials are starting, there are rumours that the Potter kid will try to clear Snape of all charges, there was a pensieve left, the trial will…"

"It will change nothing for me." she patted his hand, "I don't need a pensieve to know he had a reason, and I don't need a pensieve to know I am not wanted here. My children are still in danger, maybe more so now than before. Do you think I want them raised in a place they will be called the children of Albus' murderer? And I surely do not need their father. If he is a Death Eater, so be it, if he is not, he does not need me around to put him in harm's way. I am done Tom, done hiding my face in a dungeon and hiding his son, done with this pureblood shite. I will not bring up my children this way. When the war is over, one way or the other, I will tell him, then it will be up to him, but I will never come crawling back. These children will not be raised thinking they are unwanted, or pawns in some game. They will not be hidden away and told their father is a murderer."

She stood, taking off her cloak, laying it on table. "Save this for someone who has need for it," She smiled at him. "Goodbye, Tom."

.

.

The weather was turning warmer as spring turned to summer. Bet walked down the street pushing a pram, a young boy walking beside her. She came into the city for shopping or lunch at least once a week. She often came this way, looking up at the old building she had once lived in. She watched for a man, a man with a long legged gait, and for a graceful shadow to step out of the shadows and to knock into her in the rain.

* * *

This was the end of the Original Part One…I had a Sequel which I am now adding on and making it all one piece.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter 24**

* * *

Bet Stone carried the birthday cake carefully to her car. The flimsy box it was in did nothing to convince her that it could safely hold the weight of the cake. She had to hurry, there were a dozen preteens ready to descend upon her house and she had much to get ready before her son's party. Against her better judgment, she had hired a live in housekeeper to help her with the children. Sandy had been with her over a year now, and although they got along, Bet was still on guard as she kept too many secrets to form any kind of lasting friendship.

Those secrets, and the caution that she exercised, made her take out her wand and pass it over the cake. She then carefully placed the cake on the floor of the back seat. One could not be too careful. Slipping the wand back into her waistband, she got into the front seat of the car, and after checking her mirrors, pulled out into traffic.

It was a short drive, from the bakery to home, and she often drove this trip without paying much attention to what was in front of her. There was never much traffic, only one turn and no traffic lights. She did not notice the tall woman, dressed in green and blue plaid, her hair in a tight bun that walked down the pavement. If she had seen her, she may have grabbed the children and loaded the car with the packed bags that were always ready in the front closet, and left. At the very least, Bet would have been better prepared.

She pulled into the drive, but left the car near the back door. It was easier than hauling the carrier bags from the garage that sat back 100 yards. Sandy had heard the car pull up and came running out, apron and hair flying.

"Gee, Ms Stone. Thought you would never get here with the things. I got all the decorations up like you wanted, but I have to get the food ready and I haven't got the punch made yet. Ellen is up from her nap. She is in front of the telly," Sandy said out of breath.

"I know Sandy," Bet laughed, "I was running a little late, and they had the wrong year on the cake. I waited for them to fix it; I should have called, or just gone back for it later."

Seeing how ruffled her housekeeper was getting over entertaining a bunch of kids, Beth sighed. It was proving to be a long day.

"Really Sandy, it is just kids, hotdogs and cake. If he gets a few presents thrown in he will think we hung the moon. Don't worry," she continued, "it will be fine."

"I know, I know, but you know how he gets when things don't go right, especially on his special days," Sandy said, as she grabbed bags and started in.

Bet lifted the wards on the house with a flick of her wand. They would have to be off this afternoon, for the birthday party. She watched as Sandy made the second trip into the house, and then returned to the car and drove it back into the garage. As always, she had the car turned to face the street; it was faster to leave that way. Walking back up to the house she thought of what Sandy had just said.

She knew his _special_ days were hard on him. He always sat where he could see the driveway, although she had told him his father would not just walk up. He listened for the phone and would jump and run to answer it, but she had told him his father would not even know how to use the phone any longer. He made sure the fireplace was well set, the concealed box of Floo powder at the ready. She explained that no one from the other world knew where he or she were, how unplottables worked, and why they had to use one. She cautioned him not to use magic outside the walls of the house where the containment spells could not hold them in and leave them vulnerable to being tracked by the Ministry.

It was hardest for Tobby, this loss of magical life. He still had his wand and his words, but no one with whom to share his wonder. There was no one to stand next to as he practised. He was eleven today, a milestone in the magical world, nothing in this. His mother and he practiced together each Sunday. She said it would sharpen his skills. He was always disappointed that they dwelled on defensive moves and spells, not the fun stuff he had seen the other kids doing when they lived at Hogwarts.

He also wanted a house elf; he was tired of cleaning his own room, with or without magic it was awful. In addition, Mum did not let him use magic other than his practice spells.

When the first knock came to the door, Tobby all but knocked down his sister racing toward it. His mother heard the excitement from the kitchen where she and Sandy stood side by side at the counter. Smiling she continued slicing cucumbers, as Sandy did the last of the tomatoes.

"Aunt Minerva!" she heard the shout, and then Sandy's shriek of dismay. Looking down she saw the blood, Beth had nearly taken off her own finger, and had not even felt it. She stood unmoving as Sandy wrapped a towel around her hand, and the kitchen door opened to reveal a smiling Tobby and a very austere looking woman.

"Hello Minerva. I did not expect to see you. I am rather busy today, as you can see." Bet raised her hand with the now blood soaked towel. "This is not a good time," she finished with a hiss.

"Mother?" Tobby looked at her with his arms folded. "I am sure Aunt Minerva came a long way, and it is my birthday."

She stood looking at her son, so like the father.

Turning to Sandy, she said coldly, "Miss McGonagall and I shall retire upstairs to my sitting room, I will leave you to the party. "

Then she turned and glared at Minerva. "Minerva, will you be as good as to adjourn to my sitting room. We have much to discuss."

Turning, she headed for the stairs, Minerva following.

"Dear child, let me see that hand." Minerva ever the professional walked towards Bet with a no nonsense approach.

Bet raised her other arm, palm out stopping her from getting too close.

"I am capable of healing myself Minerva. Do have a seat." She indicated a small-overstuffed chair on the far side of the central coffee table. "I am afraid I will not offer tea, I do have coffee prepared if you would like a cup before you leave. "

"That would be lovely. I take it you now go by Ms Stone?" Her voice up turned, making this statement into a question.

"Yes, I am Ms Bet Stone now. I would thank you to remember that. You will also remember that I run a Muggle home. I will have you respect that," she said turning to the door. "I shall get the coffee."

On the stairs going back to the kitchen Bet risked pulling out her wand, long enough to heal her finger. Normally she would have done the Muggle thing and turned to the local emergency ward for stitches, but now was not the time. Hurrying to the kitchen, she shot a look at Tobby.

Once there, she apologised to Sandy for leaving her alone with the party, put two beakers, the coffee pot, a small cup of milk, and sugar cubes in a bowl, on the tray and returned upstairs. Pouring the strong coffee into two cups, she put Minerva's cup on the table and pushed it toward her, knowing the insult it implied.

"So, I shall be brief?" Minerva intoned, stiffening.

"Thanks be to Merlin," Bet rudely commented.

"The boy is of age. The term starts in three months time. Our owls have been unable to get through your wards. Wards, which allowed me to walk in unannounced," she added somewhat snidely. "We will expect him at that time." She reached in her robes for the contracts that needed Bet's signature.

"No," Bet said firmly.

"Albus Oath'ed him this right. He gave a life Oath that this child would be educated. Therefore, he shall be," Minerva stated firmly.

"No," Bet said. "I understand the Oath was to have him accepted for education, as should be the right of _every_ bastard child. Albus had those rules changed. His Oath is complete."

Bet once more rose and went to the door.

"Good day Minerva, understand this, I do love you, I just cannot do this now," she said, turning her back on Minerva, leaving her to find the door.

Minerva fumed, talking to herself, her Highland accent becoming thicker as she muttered. When she arrived back at Hogwarts, even Albus' portrait would have had a hard time understanding her. That night, in the darkness of her room Beth held the picture of a young man with lank black hair that was no longer visible on the creased and dirty photo. She did not need light to see the picture. She knew it by heart. She did not need light to stroke her finger down its faded image, to know what his eyes looked like, how his lips twisted up in a hardly seen smile, she didn't need light to remember his smell, his touch, or his kiss.

Standing she put the picture back in the bottom drawer of her dressing table, and went to stand by the window. She looked out and saw not the manicured lawn, but the vast sweeping fields, the calm lakes, the high cliffs and crashing waves that were her Scotland.

She missed the smell of the sea and the cool air of the mountains. She missed the lilt of the voice and the harshness of the words. She missed the lazy days with no telly, no phones, and no cars. She missed reading by candle light, and the softness the candle had given to his face. She missed the way robes fitted, the gentle rustling of fabric, and the billowing of his robes.

She lowering her head, but did not cry. She sat thus until the morning sun showed itself on the horizon. Only then, with the darkness gone could she sleep.

"Mum?" A small voice called. "Mum wake up. "

Bet opened one eye to see Ellen's eyes close enough that she could see nothing else.

"Mum, Sandy says it is time, she has to the leave, and Tobby has his practice. You got to get up, now, Mum." Bet stretched under the warm blankets, cursing whoever had invented soccer.

"Fine, fine, I am up, I am up, tell Sandy, a shower, five minutes, five minutes tops." She yawned, swung her feet over the edge, then grabbing at her chest fell to the floor.

"Ellen, Ellen," she gasped, "Mummy needs her energy hugs, needs them bad."

Ellen smiled running and jumping onto Bet's stomach, grabbing her around the neck and squeezing as hard as she could. Peeking at Bet's eyes she asked, "Enough?''

Bet stood, turning her head from one side to the next, the looking around slowly she seemed to brighten.

"Yep," she said solemnly, "that should do the job," and headed to the shower.

"Bet!" Sandy, shouted up the stairs. "Take your time. I will drop him off on my way out."

"Thanks Sandy, what would I do without you?" She laughed heading to the bathroom.

She showered, allowing the hot water to cascade down her head and back, as she stood facing the front of the shower. She did not hear the visitor that had arrived downstairs. She had completely forgotten to reset the wards after the party.

She donned her favourite pair of blue jeans and pulled a light blue tee over her head. She would not wear a bra today. She never did when she was just going to sit around the house. She and Ellen would have at least two hours to potter around together. Grabbing a rubber band from her dressing table, she tucked her chin down while pulling her hair into a ponytail, running down the stairs at the same time.

At the bottom of the stairs, she looked up and saw him. Ellen was sitting on the floor in the living room, her back to them. She did not know he was there. Bet bit her bottom lip. This was no time to panic. This was no time to run screaming. She softly called Ellen to her. The girl looked up in surprise but ran to her mother.

"Ellen honey, this man and Mummy are going in the kitchen to talk, you sit right here." She smiled thinly, pointing to the bottom step.

She followed the silver haired man in to the kitchen, her hand seeking to purchase the wand tucked into her waistband. Cursing her stupidity for leaving it on her nightstand, she raised her chin and turned to face him full on.

"Lucius, I want you out and I want you out now!" she spat.

"Elizabeth, it is Elizabeth is it not? I know he calls you Beth, but I hear you go by Bet now." He smiled. "I have not seen you for, let's see now, how long has it been, you were just your son's age, were you not?" His eyes roamed up and down her body, raising an eyebrow seeing the softness of her breasts, the nipples clearly showing though the tee she wore.

"What do you want Lucius, be quick. My housekeeper will be back at any moment, and…," she said going for a ruse when Lucius interrupted her.

"Oh, yes, Sandy is a sweet girl really. Only a Mudblood, but fucks like a wonder. Of course, not as good as a pure blood whores, right Elizabeth?" He sneered at her. "The boy is with her. Do not worry, at least not about the boy. Sandy will take good care of him. "

"Listen Lucius if this is about me just bring him back. If it is me you want, I am right here." She held both arms up from her side. "I have no wand, I can't do magic. I couldn't hurt you if I tried. Or are you just here for a fuck Lucius, here let me help you."

She started tugging off her tee and pushing down her jeans when her head was pulled back by her ponytail.

"Not everything can be solved that way, whore. Be assured I will have you and in time that one in there." He nodded his head to the closed door. "But for today I just wanted to let you know we have him."

"Lucius," her voice calm as she stood bare breasted, her jeans lose on her hips.

"Lucius, anything, I swear, I will Oath. Just bring him back and I will do anything you want." She stood almost naked before him, her eyes to his. She did not tremble and she showed no fear.

Looking at her body, he approached her, standing as close as he could without touching her. He waved his wand over her right breast, in a hiss of burning flesh a small LM appeared. He smiled.

"There," he said, obviously proud of himself. "Get dressed whore, you come with me."

Pulling jeans snugly up around her waist and redoing the zipper, she reached for the tee, pulling it over her head.

"Leave the girl," he said slowly. "We don't need her. I only want Severus' spawn. She means nothing."

She stepped up to Lucius, smiled and said, "Fine, Lucius, shall we?" Taking his arm in hers, they apparated away.

She left Ellen alone on the first step in the entryway, glad to have Lucius away from her. She was leaving another four year old to her fate bringing her life full circle and crashing down around her. She only prayed her plans would be enough, that she had been better prepared this time, and that Ellen would remember what to do. At least with Lucius unaware of Ellen's parentage, the child was safe for now. And, as long as Ellen knew her lesson she would not be there if he discovered the deception.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted**

**Chapter 25**

* * *

Her Mum was not there when she woke up. She had fallen asleep on the bottom step waiting. The bottom step was her safe place. Her Mum said that if she told her to stay on the step she must not leave it. On Sunday mornings when Tobby and Mum played games, she waited on the bottom step and practiced. She waited on her safe place now, waiting for Mum. She waited as long as she could before making a dash for the toilet. Washing her hands, Ellen began to get scared. She should not be off the step, Mum would be angry if she was off the step. Running back down the hall she dried her hands on her pinafore, suddenly afraid to spend more time in the loo.

Sitting with her elbows on her knees, she heard her stomach growl. Waiting as long as she could, waiting until her stomach hurt, she made a dash to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and grabbed a juice box, a bag of carrots, and a muffin. She ran back to her bottom step and ate her bounty, watching the front door and waiting. She waited until she fell asleep with her legs curled up under her, her head and shoulders on the step above. She would not move from this step and make Mum angry.

She woke hours later. The sun was coming up, she had not eaten more than the carrots and muffin, she was scared, and most of all she just wanted her Mum. She did not know if this was what Mum had told her. She did not know if she should finish the game. Mum had never told her when to finish it; just that if she felt she must she could do it.

Mum had given her the words to say, but she just was not sure. She would wait a little longer. Maybe Sandy would be back. She did not like Sandy, but her Mum had told her it was okay not to like her but she still had to listen and do as she said. They did not play games when Sandy was there. The games were a secret. She continued to wait, and cry.

It was dark again, only no lights were on. Ellen was not scared of the dark, she was a big girl and she could go to school soon. She had new clothes for school, clothes she could not wear yet because they were her school clothes and they hung in her closet wardrobe and waited for the first day.

She darted off the stairs, intent on reaching the leftover cake on the kitchen table. Mum would be very mad. Mad at sweets for dinner. There was no dinner. She ran to the sink, climbed up on her stool, and cupped water from the spigot into her hands that she drank with it running down her chin and soaking her dress. Jumping down she grabbed two pieces of cake, one in each hand and tore back to her safe place.

The cake tasted good. It was sweet and moist. The moisture was from her hands wet from the sink. She started to cry because she needed the words now. She knew Mum was not coming back, and that Tobby was going to get in trouble for playing soccer and not coming right home.

Standing on the bottom stair, her hands over her face, eyes squeezed tight, just like Mum had told her, she stamped her foot, clapped her hands and yelled as loud as she could.

"Millie... Millie... Millie … Please Millie, come and get me."

She heard the popping noise Mum had told her would come. She peeked out between her fingers and saw a funny creature looking at her, eye to eye. Ellen would have been scared if Mum had not told her all about the special elf. This elf could take her anywhere she wanted to go. Ellen stared at the large saucer-like eyes in front of her, and thought of Disney Land, and how much she had wanted her Mum to take her there. However, she knew Mum would be angry. She would be very, very angry and Ellen was still hungry.

"Are you really my magic elf friend," Ellen asked unsure.

Millie nodded, looking at the child and smiling. She had heard a cry from a bonded member of the House of Dumbledore. She had responded to the cry and was now here to serve and protect the daughter of the adopted daughter of the Great Albus Dumbledore. She bowed low, wanting to cry and hug the child of her old Master, but kept her distance.

"Mum says you should take me home to your house. But I want to go to my Daddy's house instead." Ellen was proud to have remembered what to say, but it had given her the idea of seeing Daddy. She had never seen her Daddy, but Tobby had told her all about the great castle and the moving pictures that hung on walls, and how Daddy could show you wonderful things.

In the blink of an eye, Ellen felt squeezed, tumbling over and over squeezed tightly, the way Mum would squeeze her as they spun around, when she told her what was going to happen, then tickling each other, they would fall laughing onto the soft carpet.

Only, this time she fell into semi darkness, on cold stone, in a strange place. She stood up, looking around, her lower lip trembling and tears streaking down her face, frightened that Millie had gone.

"To what do I owe this invasion of privacy and the breaking of my wards?" She heard a harsh voice ask her.

Turning toward the voice, Ellen saw a pair of black clad knees and a black booted foot tapping the stone floor. Slowly running her eyes up she saw the black waistcoat, with more buttons than she had learned to count. She looked up further passing the scowling lips to find black eyes boring into her own.

Standing up as tall as she could she said, "I want my Mum now." Her foot stomped on the floor. "You get her. I want my Mum, Mister."

"Answer my question you impertinent child. Why are you here? How dare you break into my private quarters?" he all but shouted.

"I want Mum." She was crying now, wiping her nose with the back of her hand mixing her snot and tears on her face. "Mum said if the bad thing happened I would say the words and come home."

"Come home?" he smirked. "Does this appear to be your home?" he asked, reaching for her arm. "We will find out shortly where you belong, and then whoever put a child of your age up to this will be severely punished."

"You can't punish my Mum." Ellen continued to sob. "She said my Daddy would be at home. You call my Daddy, he will tell you, he will, really he will Mister." She was shaking now, her knees visibly knocking together, the chin quivering, and her small hands twisting.

Her hands held his attention. He took her hands in his own as he knelt down to still them. The hands that did the same when troubled as the mother's. He knew those hands. Hooking his fingers under her chin, he tilted her head from side to side. He noticed the curl on the outer fold at the top of the ear, and the way her hairline ran from brow to neck. He had once kissed a neck that held the same hairline. He studied her eyes, her small upturned nose, the lips, the way her chin trembled, her breath hitching in fear.

He knew this child. This small girl child was his. He knew to the depth of his soul that he held his own child.

"Where is your Mother?" His voice was a bit softer, but still holding the angry tone. "Where is she off to this time?"

All he got in response was a loud wail. Her nose was running again, mixing in with her tears. She smeared the mess again with the back of her hand. This was when he noticed the state of her dress. A short pinafore, rumpled and stained with what appeared to be smears of chocolate, purple drops left from when she had let the juice come too fast through the straw, and the faint smell of urine, from when she tried to hold it in too long. His daughter stood in front of him, worse looking than any street waif he had seen. He knew his Beth would never allow this to happen, would have taken care of her with her dying breath.

"Child, I ask you one more time, where is your Mother?" He peered into her eyes. He did not want to enter the mind of one so young. He did not want to hurt her, as he knew was possible looking into such a tender mind. However, if he had to, he would.

She shook her head. She did not know the answer. She had awoken and Mum was gone. She had no answer to the man's question. All she could do was look back at him and cry.

He did not need a wand to perform Legilimens any longer. His magic was much stronger than before. He softly mouthed the words, and entered as softly as he could, knowing the thoughts and memories would be at the forefront, he knew right where to go and to take whatever path the child took him down.

He saw the step, the kitchen, felt her hunger and thirst. He saw the sun set once, now twice, and then he saw Millie and pulled out. The girl did not know. She had been left by herself. How long? He guessed at two days, perhaps longer. How long it had taken her to understand she was alone, he did not know. Nor could he fathom why she was to wait on the step. He stayed staring at her until he could think no further. Turning to the fireplace, he grabbed a handful of floo powder, tossed it in as he lowered his body and stuck his head into the green flame.

"Poppy, I have need of you in my chambers," he said, then turned back to the girl to gather her up in his arms and sat to wait for Poppy.

That is how Poppy found the most feared Potions Master and Headmaster in the history of Hogwarts. He sat with legs stretched out, his feet crossed at the ankles, a small dirty girl sleeping on his lap, his chin resting on her head and a look of contentment on his face.

"Severus?" she said softly so as not to wake the girl. "Severus, what is this?"

"I would like to introduce you to my daughter Poppy. However, I don't know her name," he chuckled.

"Are you sure Severus? However did this come to be?" Poppy inquired.

"Now Poppy," he chided. "You are the one that gives that same lecture to all fifth years. I am sure you know how she came to be."

"Not that you old fool." She slapped the back of his head. "Here, now, how did she come to be here?"

"I am not sure. She appeared. It seems Millie brought her. I do not know," he said with a sigh. "I am sure Beth is in trouble. However, for now Poppy, just for now, let it be. Let me have this in peace, for just a few hours. I need her bathed and do not want her scared thinking a strange wizard is undressing her. We also have need for robes. I do not think she has eaten in at least two days. First, however, I called you to check for injuries. I did not see any, nor feel any in her mind, however she is so filthy I cannot be sure and will not run the risk." He looked up at Poppy's eyes.

"Give her to me Daddy. I will take good care of her." She smiled and picked up Ellen, laying the child's head on her shoulder.

"When you are done with her, place her in there, the bed is made up." He nodded to the room off his own, outfitted for a child.

He closed his eyes, tipped his chin up, and for the first time in his memory, he hoped. He held on to the thought that this was all a mistake. This child had come by mistake. That Beth and his son were alive and well. That Beth and Tobby were unhurt. He knew that was not the case, but just for now he hoped.


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 26**

* * *

Minerva had expected her reception at Beth's home to be cold and distant. She had known that she would be unwelcome, unwanted in the Muggle home, and a threatening presence to the household, reminding Beth of times past and threats still unfulfilled. When she had been unable to walk down the steps at Hogwarts to meet Beth, when she for one brief moment had wished her away, she feared she had driven a wedge between them. She had tried to send owls to ask Beth's forgiveness, but they had been repelled by the wards around the house, now when the owls returned with Tobby's first year letter, Minerva had decided to go in person and dismantle the wards if necessary, only to find them lowered.

_A foolish birthday party_, she thought angrily. She had wanted to fly into a rage, storm into Severus' office and demand that he take action when the first owl had returned. It was time for him to step up to his responsibility, time for him to admit that he had to do more than sit back and wait for something to happen before acting like a father.

He had been wrong to keep Beth away, to not go to her and explain what had happened. Not to tell her the Ministry had cleared him of all charges in Albus' death, and had suspended the charges of being a Death Eater. The Ministry of Magic, bowing to public sentiment, had awarded not only him a position at Hogwarts, but the Order of Merlin First Class for his valour in the final battle.

Of course, there were still those moments, still that split second that Minerva imagined Albus as he had slumped against the wall, staring at Severus, asking him to complete the oath, that she wanted to scream, and rush forward to stop what played over and over in her mind. She often thought the scene worse than it was, but on closing her eyes, it replayed in her mind the way she knew it must have happened.

In the beginning, Severus had refused Beth's owls even if it meant not seeing his son. He had refused to talk to her before his trial, and after it was too late, she had stopped trying. She had accepted the Daily Prophet for a while, until it must have been obvious to her that even with the war over, and Severus in the position of Headmaster, that he did not plan to contact her. She no longer sent owls, no longer tried to contact him, and no longer seemed to care. Minerva came out of her memories when Poppy's head appeared in the floo.

"Minerva? Grandmother, we could use your presence in the Headmaster's Chambers, if you have a mind to." Poppy winked at her.

Minerva could hear Severus rumbling about something in the background.

"Fine Poppy, I shall be there shortly, I just have to swing around to Gryffindor tower for a bed check and I will be on my way." She answered a moment before Poppy's head disappeared from the fireplace.

Walking toward Gryffindor tower, she hesitated, recalling Poppy's words. She quickened her pace as she hurried to the Headmaster's chambers.

.

.

.

Elizabeth was in a dungeon. She did not know whose dungeon, or where the dungeon was located. All she knew was that this dungeon was in an old place. The smell of dampness, the way the stones fitted together on the walls. The stones were not of granite, not hard stone like the dungeons of Hogwarts, not improved and cared for over the passage of time. These stones were ancient. Held together by the sheer weight forced upon them, they were cracked and stressed over years of neglect. The walls had sunk down into the muck on which they were built, forcing the water up, leaching and weakening the joints, and eroding the porous building blocks.

She had arrived with Lucius, and been thrown to the ground. He had wasted no time pulling his wand, muttering a spell as manacles flew to her the wrists and ankles. She had smiled up at him, needing to gain his trust.

"Now Lucius, those will not be necessary this time. Just show me my son. I will take care of you," she purred looking at the swelling in his trousers. "Just let me see him, just to see if he still lives, then anything you want."

He walked over to her, ripping off her tee and stared at the LM he had placed on her right breast. Running his finger over the mark, he sighed.

"Lovely," he said.

She did not hesitate, but hurried to undo his pants, freeing his member, she wrapped her hand around it, sliding her hand up and down, leaning toward him. He watched in fascination growing harder.

"The manacles, release me. Send my son back and I will stay with you. Anything you want." she tried to keep her eyes on him, and her voice steady. She watched, hoping he would lay his wand down within her reach. She smiled again at him, and lowered her chin just enough to look up at him shyly through her lashes.

"Please Lucius, I want to do this, I need to be with you as much as you need a witch right now. Just send him back so he doesn't see us," she said, trying to move like the young girls in the clubs she had seen. "See Lucius? I can't reach you, not with these on my hands. Please?"

He looked at the witch in awe. He had not even known a whore to act this way and he had paid enough of them to know. However, he had not paid her anything. Yet she truly seemed to want this more than any witch he had been with, she begged him. It had no doubt been years since she had been the whore of a pure blood. He read the desire and hunger on her face. He released the manacles as he imagined what she would do.

"Yesss." She hissed falling forward as if in worship, running her hand over his erection. Nearly gagging at the thought of what she may have to do, she smiled up at him. Putting her finger in her mouth, she then ran the wetness up his member. She wiped her hand across her mouth, tying to stop her stomach from retching as she tried to act erotic. She had seen his wand, sticking out of his right sleeve, now she had to get close enough to grab it.

"Ever been buggered by a witch's tongue, Lucius? Ever feel the bliss of a tongue on your arse? I can do that. Would you like that Lucius? I will do that, Lucius, I will do that for you," she whispered huskily, raking her eyes up and down his body.

He fisted her hair and pulled her head up, trying to read her face. He saw her smile and run her tongue over her lips and her second hand began to stroke his sack.

"Turn around Lucius, get on your knees, let me show you what I can do, what I have learned since our last time."

Sliding his robes off his shoulders, he yanked his pants down, kicked them off and took the position she asked for. She fell onto him, rubbing her bare breasts on his back and running her hands up his thighs. She studied the discarded robes to see which way the right sleeve laid, knowing she would only have one chance to do this. Her index finger of her left hand entered his arse, her right hand running up and down his torso.

She leaned in, licking his ear, moaning into him. "Yes Lucius, put your head down," she instructed brushing against his rump, only inches from the wand.

"I want your hands on me, Lucius. I want you on me when I lick you," she said trying to get him to reach behind his back.

He reached for her, finding her breasts, his arms straight behind him, and his arse up in the air, she grinned at him.

In a flash she used her left arm to hold his head to the ground, and her right to grab his wand and shove it in his arse. As he fell forward, raging in anger and pain, she stood and kicked the wand home, then ran from the cell. His screams of pain echoed behind her as she sprinted down the hallway, and up three flights of stairs. She saw a light and ran for it, then heard his pounding feet coming closer. She ran toward the dim light and found a french window.

Throwing her arms over her head, hiding her face in the crook of the elbow, she jumped through as his spell hit her in the back. Apparating as soon as the gravel hit her feet, she did not continue her fall until she was at the main gates of Hogwarts. She needed to go only a few more feet, she needed to get inside the wards, to trip them and announce her presence, she could not rest yet. Rising as far as she could, she literally crawled onto the grounds before collapsing.

She rolled onto her back, looking up at the castle she still thought of as home, and thanked Albus for keeping his promise as she surrendered to darkness.

.

.

.

Severus had sent one of the elves into Hogsmeade with Minerva earlier that day to shop for the child. Ellen was busy examining the pile of clothing, toys and personal items she had, acting as if it were Christmas morning.

She squealed over the old-fashioned clothes as Severus, Poppy, and Minerva sat in the Headmaster's Chambers sipping tea and talking over the implications that the arrival of Ellen could signify. They knew that Beth had to be in mortal danger to have sent the girl away. However, where was the boy? What had happened to Tobby?

If Tobby were in danger, if Beth had run to him, Ellen would not have been sent with an elf, not in the condition she was in. Nothing added up. The Ministry had not reported a Death Eater attack and renegade Death Eaters would not leave a four-year-old witness. As they were going over yet a new scenario of disaster, the wards went off. Severus grabbed his wand, as Minerva and Poppy stood to go with him.

"Poppy if you would be so good as to stay with the little one, Minerva and I shall take care of this." He quietly spoke to Poppy.

Glancing at the clock he saw it was only 30 minutes after lights out and was sure that it was only a seventh year thinking to sneak back into the castle after sampling the drinks of Hogsmeade. Severus laid his wand in his palm incanting the tracking spell and strode off to the main gates with Minerva in tow. At the main doors, he repeated the spell, confused. The student they sought had not moved, and was not attempting to scurry to one of the many side doors. He felt an unease creep up his back.

"Minerva," he said, and she immediately fell back two steps, assuming a rear guard position. Wand raised and at the ready.

Severus also had his wand raised in his left arm, his right, now the stronger of the two, was held aloft, palm up, as lethal and ready as his left. He walked slowly but steadily to the form he now saw crumpled on the ground. Seeing a woman laying on her stomach (she had rolled onto her back for her final collapse), one arm outreached, reaching for the castle, he raised an eyebrow and looked down seeing her state of dress. She was wearing only blue jeans, loose and riding down her hips, her top was bare, her feet as bloody as her arms.

There were hundreds of small slivers of cut flesh across her back where the shards of glass had rained down on her, her arms gashed from the original burst through the window, it was apparent to Severus that she had gone through a plane of glass. He had seen this type of injury before. He knew whatever had happened was bad. To throw yourself through a window was an act of desperation, and from the state of the woman's dress he imagined her terror. Kneeling down he saw the bleeding had mostly stopped, only a few wounds were still wet and sticky with blood.

He signalled Minerva to come around to the other side, to have her wand at the ready. Reaching over her body, he took hold of one shoulder with his right arm, her hip with his left, and rolled her over to better access the damage. He needed to determine the identity of what he still assumed to be a student. He saw the bloody and swollen face, not recognizing who lay in front of him.

He made a fast assessment that the student was not badly injured from the cuts, but a pool of blood was forming around her head, and he knew Poppy would have to see her before she was moved. He could smell the scent of a wizard on her, and glancing at the position and dryness of her jeans assumed no penetration had likely occurred, but wanting to protect the student in the event he was wrong, he cast a contraception spell. Then, with a quiet _Lumos _with his right hand, he looked at her naked breasts where he saw cuts and finger prints. He assumed that she had avoided rape, but was unsure what else had occurred as he scowled at the small brand he saw, knowing immediately what it meant.

"Severus, my Gods, Severus, can you not see who it is?"

That was when Severus looked at the face he had assumed was a student. He pushed the bloodied hair from her face and saw who lay in front of him. Staggering to his feet, he stepped back and looked up at Minerva coldly. Then, turning on his heel, unable to speak while looking at her, he walked away.

"I shall send Poppy. She would want to check the injuries to the head before moving her," he called over his shoulder as he returned to the castle, leaving Minerva to stand guard over her.


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 27**

* * *

Poppy informed Severus as soon as she had finished cleaning and treating the witch. He received the information with a sharp nod of the head, offering no comments and asking no questions as to her condition.

"Is that it Severus, is that all you have to say?" she questioned.

"Have to say?" he said raising one eyebrow, "I was not aware that I had said anything."

"So, are you coming to see her or not?" Poppy snapped.

"Not," he answered. "I will be here if she wakes. All I need to know is what she has done to my son this time."

"Severus, perhaps you could at least wait until she wakes before you start placing blame. We don't know anything yet," Poppy said softly.

"Enough. I will attend to her in the morning. _If _she wakes."

"She managed to get this far, Severus. The girl that was here before never could have done this. Give her a chance to explain."

"I am not interested in her health, only her memories. I shall see her in the morning," he said, signaling the conversation was over as he turned on his heel and left.

After a sleepless night, during which he sat at Ellen's bedside committing her face to memory, Severus woke his daughter. He washed and fed her, dressed her in new robes, and listened to her non-stop chatter. He looked at her strangely when she was happy at his constant "Umm" to her many comments on his bedchamber, bath facilities and all the strange things she saw. Twice he had to pull her back from sticking a finger in a pensieve and watched in horror as she carelessly flicked open one of the restricted books that sat on his desk, a wave of salty water washing her to the floor.

She took each "Umm" as license to continue, as a sign of approval, as proof that what she said had merit. She was warm, cleansed, rested, and her belly full, but she still wanted her Mum. She had the man Tobby bragged about knowing. She had the man he whispered stories to her about and the man that was her daddy. It did not matter that she had never met him. He belonged to her. She was almost in school so she understood this is how it worked with daddys; they loved you, always would, and always did.

Mum had said no woman should ever belong to a man. She had said nothing about a daddy. Having never heard her mother say anything other than her daddy loved her, but had to live away, she had no reason to fear, or to think he was anything but what she wanted him to be.

Calling one of the Hogwarts elves to him, Severus gave instructions that Ellen was not to leave his chambers until he returned. Only Minerva and Poppy were allowed to enter, and no one was to be told of the child's existence.

"So, Ellen, this is what we call a House Elf," he began to explain.

"Oh silly," she grinned up at him. "No, that is your special elf, not a House Elf. He can help you get to your daddy if you get scared or if the bad men come".

"My daddy?" He questioned, his brows coming together, a grin playing with his lip. "I am sure I would not do that, even if he were alive. Now tell me, was that what you were told to do?"

"Yep, Mum and me practiced. I sit on the step and wait. Then she gave me the words, and when I said the Millie words, POOF," she puffed her cheeks, exhaling in a puff of breath, "and here I am. Only you get squeezy and your tummy hurts so you should only do it if the bad men come. Do you know the bad men?"

"Indeed?" he looked down at her. "Your mother and I need to talk."

"She may tell you I was supposed to go home. Is this my home?"

"What exactly were you to tell Millie?"

"To take me home cuz of the bad men. But if you're my daddy she can't get real angry, maybe only a little."

"I see," he said, knowing that Beth had never intended the child to come to him.

"You can talk to Mum? Me too, I want to talk too," she ran around the room, looking on the tables. "Where's the phone, I know my number and the street number too, can I talk on the phone, Mum lets me," she said all in a rush.

"She cannot talk now, I mean in the future, when she is found, I will talk to her," he said staring at the child and wondering why he was explaining himself.

Her face saddened at this news. "Is she lost?" Ellen asked. "She may be driving here, cuz she gets lost lots of times. We got lost in the zoo, but she wasn't coming here when we got lost that time and this is lots farther because I had to say the Millie words. When can I talk to Mum? "

"Daddy?" she asked, after getting no response from her question. "Can we get ice cream? I like strawberry best but Tobby likes chocolate, but sometimes Mum gets the box that has three kinds all stuck together."

Holding two fingers to the bridge of his nose he nodded, not realizing this was now a promise to a four year old. He felt a headache and wondered if Beth had ever thought to use a safe word for her conversations with this child. He would need one, fast.

He finished his talk to her on the House Elf care and feeding of four year olds. She was to tell the house elf what she wanted, but the elf was to decide if it was appropriate. She was to listen to the Elf, as she would any other adult, if the Elf said no, the answer was no.

As her daddy walked out the door, she turned and glared at the elf. Daddy seemed like he would be easy but elves sounded mean.

Severus Snape, Headmaster and Potions Master of Hogwarts entered the hospital wing. An immediate hush feel over the ward, as all but Poppy, were suddenly interested in anything other than idle chit chat. He stopped, looking to Poppy with one brow raised. She merely nodded toward one of the curtained off beds before to returning to the job of taking an inventory of her potions. The ill students rolled over and turned their backs, hoping to go unnoticed.

He strode over to the curtained area, threw up silencing wards, and stepped into the now secluded area. Passing his right hand over the still sleeping witch, he woke her, and folded his arms over his chest, waiting for the realization of where she was to start sinking in to her waking mind.

Watching her stretch, and nuzzle further down into her pillow, he saw her eyes fly open, and then become fully aware of where she was. She sat up, wincing at the pain in her limbs and joints, then looked down at her body, taking her own inventory of her injuries when Severus cleared his throat. Snapping her head up, and letting her eyes meet his, her breath caught. He looked so angry, so outraged by her presence, that she instinctively lowered her eyes. Memories flashed before her, memories of averted eyes, and of beatings. Throwing up her chin she bravely looked back at him.

"If you had been sorted you would have been a Gryffindor," he said flatly.

"If I had been sorted we would not be here," she spat back.

"Where is my son?"

"I. Do. Not. Know," she seethed.

"I will ask you just once more, and then I shall see for myself," he threatened, coming closer to the bed.

"I don't know. I was taken in a side-a-long. If I knew I would be getting dressed to go get him back," she hissed. "I can't even be sure he was in the same place. I can only go by what Lucius said."

She felt him in her mind, she felt him shifting her memories. He was not kind. He ruthlessly pushed open doors and turned the corners too sharply. He saw her ordering Ellen to the stair, and then she was in the kitchen, disrobing and feeling the hiss of Lucius' brand. She saw the dungeons and saw how she had reached for Lucius. He slammed the door shut, and kept searching, seeing Sandy as she set food on platters, and Minerva sitting with a cup of tea. Too quickly, he was out, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her angrily against the headboard.

"So, I see you are Lucius' whore now," he said, more of a statement than a question. "I see his mark on your breast. Is he why you have kept yet another child from me witch? Where is my son?" He pushed her shoulders harder, prepared to shake the information from her.

"Bastard! Look at all of it! See what he did to me! I couldn't get to him. He's there, but I couldn't get to him. Lucius was too close, I couldn't … I tried… I couldn't do it," she spat, as her eyes filled with tears.

Letting her fall back on the pillow he stepped back, running his hands through his hair. "Where is he Beth? Who is this Sandy?"

"I don't know, I thought I did. Now I don't even know if that is her real name." She ran her sleeve over her eyes, surprised to see blood on the hospital gown.

"Severus, you leave her alone." Poppy set down two vials on the nightstand and turned to help Beth lay back on the pillow. "She still has a head injury now you try to kill her. What did you think would happen? If I knew you two would be at it already I would have insisted you not see each other until tomorrow. Now off with you, she is worse now than when she came."

It was two full days and many potions later before Beth could remain awake and be almost pain free. She did not speak to Poppy except to make demands, or to Minerva who had taken to sitting by her bedside, reading books aloud. She sent away meals untouched, and wanted only to get up and find her son. She asked Poppy for pepper up potions, but was refused until she ate. She wolfed down an entire dinner to get the potion, and then vomited it onto the floor. She begged until Poppy relented and gave her the potion knowing she would just fight harder without it.

After four days she could stand. She found a robe hanging on the back of the loo's door, and in the darkness of night, she put it over her Muggle style hospital gown, and snuck into the halls. She needed to find her children, and without Severus, she knew she didn't have a chance.

Since Severus was now the Headmaster, she assumed he had taken over Albus' old suite at the top of the main tower. It was there she headed. Her footfalls were soft, only the occasional sound of skin slapping stone, as she ran through the halls, peeking around corners to make sure a night patrol was not about and at last made it all the way to the tower. She sucked in her breath and asked the gargoyle to allow her to pass, surprised when it did, lowering its head as well as its wings.

She made her way to his bedchamber and opening the door, she slid in softly closing it behind her. The room was lit by the soft glow of embers, still giving warmth in the massive fireplace at the far end of the room. Now that she was here she faltered, she did not know what to do. With her back pressed against the wall, she allowed herself to slide down, to sit on the floor with her knees drawn up to her chin. She lowered her head, and soundlessly cried, shoving her fists into her mouth to quiet any sounds.

He had seen her enter, could smell her and hear her breathe. He watched her now with half lidded eyes, then quietly, he slipped his legs over the side of the bed, sat, and watched her cry. What he had seen in her mind sickened him. His lip curled at the thought of his children's mother, crawling around on the floor to Lucius. He vowed she would never get his children again.

"So," he sneered at her, "is your bed lonely?"

Her head snapped up, and her chin trembled, she looked at him sitting on the side of his bed in only his sleeping pants, and was scared. She knew his voice, she knew what he had seen, what he had thought, the pain he had thrown at her mind, pain that had taken four days and many of Poppy's potions to cure.

"I want you to look again," she said evenly. "You need to see it all, from the beginning to the end. You pulled out too soon. You only saw bits and pieces."

"Quite the little whore aren't you? You are not satisfied with what I saw? Do you want to share more? Is that it witch? You want to give me the full view of you finally sucking his cock. I see he has finished what he started all those years ago," he shot back at her coldly.

"Tobias, or are you Severus? You know me. You know me better than anyone. Please, do this." Her eyes begged him as she crawled toward him, until she was at his feet looking up into his face.

"Please, _Severus_, I will leave if what you think is true. I will leave you and never ask to see the children again. I give you a wizard promise. You have never seen Ellen. She is beautiful, Severus. She's bright, and so smart she scares me at times. She won't back down either, she's like you in that. When she sets her mind on something, she won't give up until she gets it. You will love her Severus. I told her that… that you have important things to do. That someday she will see you. I have never, never said anything to make her not love you. Please, please, just look again before you push us away again," she begged.

"Tell me, Beth. How is her Latin?" he sneered. "Are you teaching her to hex me as well? Since you have not allowed me to see her I am curious."

"That's not fair. I tried to tell you of Ellen, I came to Hogsmeade to tell you before the battle. That's why I was there that night. I tried to send owls when I heard you were free, after the trial. You refused to see me and you sent them back. Yes, I left. What was I to do? What else do I have? You made it clear you didn't want me, or love me. I accept that, I understand, I really do. But, I have to find him. Help me with this and I will never ask another thing of you, never," she pleaded on her knees, hands clasped and her eyes to his.

"I know I was wrong, you never really loved me, not really, yet I wanted you to. I should have refused you when I first came to Hogwarts. I never should have taken you to my bed after. I know it was my fault, I know you were lonely, I know with the war all round and what you were going through I was taking advantage of you. I should have been stronger and left as soon as I had him back. Please. Tobias, Please," she cried, falling back to his old name. "You never have to see me again."

"I am not now, nor have ever been your Tobias," he snarled, his left hand fisted to her hair, his right was raised to strike her face.

Without hesitation, she whispered, "Please," and he stilled.

With his right hand still raised, he flattened his palm instead, and leaning close to her he whispered, "Legilimens", and once again was in her memories.

This time she guided him to the beginning. He saw Ellen as Beth sheltered her on the steps, he understood why she stripped off her clothes and saw Lucius use his chance to brand her skin. He felt her fear, and her relief that Ellen would be spared, and saw her stumble and fall into the damp moss covered dungeon. He sucked air into his lungs as he saw her actions, and knew what it cost her, he watched Lucius releasing the restraints, he watched the wand hit home, her flight into the night, the shattering of glass, then darkness.

When he was back, she was in a heap at his feet, sobbing, crying for Ellen and Tobby each in turn, and hiding her face from him. He looked at her and what he saw stunned him. That she could act that way, that she who would hide at the mention of the Malfoy name, that his Beth could have acted like that, taking Lucius' length in her hand in a pretext of arousal, an arousal he knew now she could not have felt. He tilted her chin up and met her eyes. Then he smirked.

"So, my Gryffindor, just how hard did you kick that wand?" Throwing his head back he laughed as he had not done in years. It was a laughter born of relief, of the sudden draining of tension, and the sheer joy of having his Beth back.

She stared up at him her mouth open, unsure she had heard correctly.

"You, my dear, look like a fish. Close your mouth and stand up," he ordered with what Elizabeth always thought of as his teaching voice.

He stood along with her, taking her hand and heading toward a door off to the side of his bedchamber. She allowed him to pull her along, not sure of what he was doing.

He opened the door, pointed to the bed, and leaning down to her ear he said, "Sleep in here tonight, I am sure our daughter will not mind."

Throwing her arms around his neck she started to kiss his eyes, his forehead, his cheeks, and after each randomly placed kiss she said, thank you. After more kisses than he could later remember, he grabbed her arms, lowering them and nodding to the small child on the bed.

"Go," he whispered. "Go."


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 28**

* * *

Morning came with bright sun streaming through the window and a four year old lifting up Beth's eyelids one at a time.

"Morning Mum." Ellen smiled in each eye in turn, as Beth fought her way out of sleep and the dreams she could not shake.

"Wait 'til you see this." The girl ran from the room, leaving the door open to Severus' bedchamber.

Climbing up on the big bed, on the wall opposite the door, she yanked the blankets down to reveal a very naked Severus. He was sleeping on his stomach, for which he would later be thankful. The cold air hit him only a second after he had felt a bounce on the bed. Coming to full awareness immediately, it took him only milliseconds to know what was coming.

"Did you forget your pajamas?" Ellen asked, leaning over and peering in his left eye. "Mum forgets hers sometimes too."

"Go back to bed, and shut the door on your way out," he ground through his teeth.

"This is my Daddy," she said proudly to Beth, who stood in the door grinning.

"Oh, is it now?"

"Come here Mum, meet my Daddy," Ellen said as she bounced up and down on the bed eagerly.

"Get off this bed and give me that blanket at once," Severus moaned, unsure if in reaching for the blanket he would expose more than he already had.

"But, Mum is here. She really is. Mum come on, hurry," Ellen said as she jumped again on the bed.

This was too good to pass up. Beth slipped on the stolen robe, and cinching the belt tightly, she walked over to the every embarrassed and bare-arsed Potions Master.

"Hello sir," she said, trying to keep a straight face. "The Muggle custom in introductions is a hand shake. However, if you would prefer to show my innocent daughter how Wizards do it, we could bow to one another."

"Wow," Ellen squealed. "Do wizards really bow Daddy? Really? Would you teach me? Teach me now, Daddy."

"No. I. Will. Not," he groaned into the pillow, raising his right hand to shake Muggle style in defeat.

Beth walked to the front of the bed to grasp his hand in a firm shake, noticing color rise in his neck.

"It is nice to meet you, sir. Perhaps you are not, how shall I put this? Up … for the occasion right now?" she grinned knowing how the Potions Master always awoke with an erection.

"We girls will wait in the next room. Come Ellen," she said laughing, as they returned to their room, softly closing the door behind them.

Severus waited until he heard the door close before reaching out to grab his robe. He could hear Beth's laughter, full and deep throated, as he dressed. It was a good sound. He wanted to hear more of it, not however while he lay naked with his daughter jumping on his bed. Once he was presentable, he politely knocked on the girl's door, and waiting for the muffled giggling to die down, he heard their combined, "Come in".

"Ms Stone, I am having clothes sent in for you," he said to Beth.

"Miss Stone," he continued turning to Ellen. "I believe you know where your robes hang. I would suggest that instead of wasting your time of such frivolities, you attend to your morning toiletries. Breakfast will arrive shortly." He then nodded to Beth, and left to a fresh gale of laughter from the two females.

After they were dressed and ready for the day, they re-entered Severus' chamber to find him sitting having a cup of tea. He stood as they entered and saw Beth grin. She held Ellen back by the arm and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Ellen giggled, covering her mouth with her hands. She became somber as she performed the small curtsy she had just learned, then was delighted when Severus stiffened his spine, tilted his head to the side, and returned with a full flourish of robes and a sweeping bow so perfect, the Dark Lord would have been impressed.

Beth then took a food tray that sat on the coffee table across the room to Severus' desk. Pushing the papers out of the way, she placed the food on the desk, instructing Ellen that this was where she would eat. Then, returning to sit across from Severus, she asked that he place a Silencio spell around the girl. Once he had done so, she turned serious.

"Severus, I want to ask Molly to take Ellen for a few days. Is the Burrow safe again?"

"Quite safe, I reset the wards myself and the Weasleys have added a hand to their infamous clock to show if it is tampered with." His brow wrinkled wondering where this was going.

"Severus I cannot keep this up in front of her. I feel like killing someone, smashing this room, destroying something. I want my son back Severus, I need him back, and I needed him back yesterday. I cannot worry about baths and meal times right now." She leaned closer to him, stressing the importance.

"I can look for our son, Beth. However, I would think a mother would need her children near," he said flatly.

"No, Severus. What a mother needs first is her child alive. Nothing else matters. If you do not believe me, ask Molly. She has one dead son, and one gone missing. Ask her where the knife cuts the deepest. For Fred or for Percy? Percy she still hopes for, and prays for, all she can do for Fred is lay flowers on a grave," she said as she narrowed her eyes. "I refuse to cut flowers Severus, and I refuse to visit a grave until it is my time, not my son's, never."

"I will have Molly contacted at once. Now, tell me what you know of this Sandy."

"Obviously, not a damn thing." She all but slammed her teacup down. "I did everything right. I checked references, I used a reliable service, I did a police background check, sort of like checking the Ministry for past crimes," she added when she saw his face cloud in confusion.

"Severus, really I thought she was fine. Hell, I even tested to make sure she did not have a tracking spell on her, even though at the time I felt foolish for doing it. Why would a Muggle have a tracking spell?"

"Beth," he said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Please try to focus here. I am not looking to place blame I am looking for my son. So the answer to my question as to what you know about Sandy is in one word NOTHING."

"I am sorry, it's just…," she started.

"I know Beth, I know," he interrupted, and then he looked over at Ellen.

"At least I know where she gets it," he sneered.

Fully understanding what he meant she crossed her arms over her chest, shut her mouth, and was determined to remain silent for the remainder of the meal. Picking up a piece of toast, she shoved a corner of it into her mouth, took a bite big enough to be considered rude, and chewed loudly with her mouth open, smacking her lips. '_Let him decide which he would rather hear_,' she thought to herself.

"I am going to seek out Minerva. She has an apology coming, you sir, do not," she said, tossing down her toast and storming out of the room ignoring his snort of laughter.

She hurried through the hallways ignoring the looks from the students as she all but ran to the opposite tower wanting to put distance between her and Severus. She knocked on Minerva's office door, and after hearing the polite and pointed voice of the professor, she opened the door and peaked inside.

"Minerva? Is it alright if I come in and we can talk?" Beth asked hesitantly.

"Oh, my dear child!" Minerva stood and ran around the desk to pull Beth into a big hug. "Of course you may. I have been hoping you would come to see me. Sit I will order tea."

Beth wiped at her eyes surprised how easily tears came to her these past two days. She watched Minerva transfigure a small sofa and table then sit and pat the cushion next to her.

"I don't know where to start Minerva," she sighed. "I know I treated you badly, you only came to see Tobby and bring his letter."

"It is quite understandable my dear." Minerva waved off the apology.

"No, Minerva. I have to finish this," Beth said stonily. "I saw you on the steps that day, that last day we had Albus. When I saw you, I just didn't know what to do. Then, when you turned away from me… Minerva I cannot tell you how badly that hurt."

"I know dear, I meant nothing by it." Minerva had to wipe her own eyes, "It was just so fresh, the wound still open. I did not want to cry with the children all around, and I knew if we talked …. No, that is not true. I could not watch you grieve for his murderer. It's as simple as that. I know I was wrong now, but at the time I saw you and hated him."

"I thought as much," Beth said softly. "I used to think you would blame me as well. I hope you understand, it was just that reaction that I feared the children would receive. I didn't know at the time how things would work out, and once … it was too late."

"At the beginning I thought you too had turned against us," she sighed. "I am truly ashamed of…"

"No, please. It is the way it had to be. If you had known the truth, if others had, the ruse would not have worked. I understand that now. I know what Albus was doing. If we had known we would have acted differently and given up the secret that Severus has always been on the right side."

"Thank you child, but there was a time he was not on our side. That is why it was so easy to believe," Minerva sniffed. "But enough of this. We have more important things to speak of now."

"Minerva, I am so sorry. Tobby loves you so much and I have kept you from him." Beth looked at the older witch sadly. "I promise Minerva, I will do anything to make this up to you."

"Now, stop this. Go take care of your daughter, who I must say reminds me of her mother, and I have a lesson I must get to," Minerva laughed. "We are just pleased to have you here where you belong."

Beth and Minerva agreed to meet again in two days time and Beth felt a lot lighter as she returned to the Dungeons. Severus had contacted Molly via floo and explained the situation quickly, asking Molly to take Ellen for a few days while they worked on finding the boy. Molly had understood when Severus asked her not to come to Hogwarts to collect the girl herself. Beth, he explained was holding up too well, acting too strong. He and Molly knew she was close to the edge, as she had been when Tobby had gone missing the first time.

"I know Severus. When I lost Fred, I could go days at a time until I saw someone I had not spoken to about it yet. Then it would flood over me. I must say, you keep that witch away. I do not even want her here if it will just cause her pain and take her away from what she must do. I will visit plenty when everyone is safely together again. Send the child thru the floo. I will be right here to collect her."

By the time Elizabeth returned from talking to Minerva, Ellen was gone. She had not expected this, she'd wanted, expected to say good-bye, had expected to be consulted on Ellen's care.

"How were you planning on telling her she was leaving for a few days at the Weasley's?" he questioned her as one would a child, arms folded, looking down his nose at her.

"Would you have told her to be brave, only to hint that there was something to be scared of? Would you have clung to her, hinting that there was something amiss? Would you tell her we would find her brother only to let her know he was missing? I think not witch. It is done," he stated bluntly.

"What did you tell her?" Beth nearly shouted at him.

"I said," he told her raising his eyebrow higher, "that she would be visiting a pure blood family to see how to live with magic. Is there something wrong with that my dear? Do you not want her to learn what pure blood families are like?"

"Beth," he said quietly, "outside of these rooms I am still not a nice man at times, at most times I imagine. However, I have come to learn, that pure blood tradition is not found in the Malfoy, Gilstone, and Snape names alone. Those families are the exception. The Weasleys must have it right," he held up a hand as Beth started to say something. "Have you ever noticed the boys' manners? When heeded they are impeccable, just not used often enough, a matter of discipline I would imagine," he smirked when he saw her face. "Have you ever noticed the girl's carriage and her knowledge of pure blood ritual? In addition, yes, she does use down cast eyes. However, only at introductions to show respect and at formal ceremonies in keeping with the traditional prayers, as the custom was intended. Beth, it is what a true pure-blood family is. I was too blind to see it. Much too busy to see something I did not want to see." He turned, walking over to stand at the window, looking out over the expanse of sweeping grounds.

"This shall always be Albus' legacy, this school, and these ideas. I had hoped to make some changes for the better during my time here. With Minerva and Molly's help, we are set to start lessons on Classical Pure Blood Customs, this coming year. It is meeting some resistance with the board however," he said as he turned to her. "I hope you will be here to see it"

"Severus, you truly surprise me, you of all people! You one of Riddles favorites," she gasped. "I would no more want a part of that than I would want to cut off my arms. You cannot be serious."

"Me?' he crossed to her, cupping her face in his hands, "Me? When have you ever known me to ask you for averted eyes, to sit at my feet as some lap dog and to give up a career or a dream? When have I ever demanded more than your safety and health? You have confused me with your expectations of Wizards for far too long Beth.

Riddle did not practice true custom, and I doubt many even remember the customs any longer. This makes it possible for another Tom Riddle, or another Lucius Malfoy, or one of the many to do this again. The true customs are of acceptance, not bigotry and rejection. If any group of people would beg for acceptance in all peoples it would be the magical whom have been persecuted for so long. The students in this school must learn the truth about the customs, not the bastardation they have become. Until you can see the difference I demand your silence about pure-blood customs as your family practiced them."

She nodded and covered her mouth with her hand, holding back her sobs.

"Beth, only misguided witches believe their sobs should go unheard. If you ever walked the halls here, you would know this to be true. Your tears are not a shame Beth. Your only shame would be in hiding them." He kissed her on top of her head, and pulled her closer hearing her begin to sob openly. "Now, is that not better than calming draughts, dreamless sleep, and spending a few nights having elves read to you?"

"Yes," she tried to smile, "it's going to be hard, to change a lifetime of habit."

He returned to his seat by the fire, called an elf to bring a fresh pot of tea and waited for her to compose herself and return to her seat to discuss Tobby. His face was stern, as was his voice.

"Tobby would have trusted Sandy," Beth explained for what seemed the tenth time. "He knew her, he may not have liked her all the time, but he would have done what she said."

"What do you mean he did not like her?" he questioned, latching on to every nuance, trying to get a better understanding of the situation.

"Sandy was stern with the children. She would not let them get out of line, not even a little. I used to think that since I was far too lenient, she was my balance," she explained.

"He did not carry a wand?" he suddenly questioned her.

"Good grief, what do you think? Could you even imagine an eleven year old on a Muggle soccer team with a wand? That would be something to see, him forgetting and using it. No, Severus. He did not have a wand with him," she sighed exasperated. "Don't you think that bloody Ministry would have been all over him?"

"So, he does have one then?" he sneered at her. "And, from the tone am I to expect it not to be a training wand?" he was becoming angry.

"Yes, No, and don't go there," she shot back.

"Explain yourself witch." Again, his dangerous undertones came to her ears.

"Severus Snape, I will not take this. You knew I was training him, you knew. He could not get a training wand, what was I to do? Take in a seven year old for a fitting, 'Oh yes,' I could have said, 'he is being trained just like his Mum was, such a good boy,'" she raised her voice to him.

"You know I did not approve of this!" he stormed. "Yet you acquired a full strength wand for him did you not? Answer me witch."

"Yes. I. Did," she raged back. "Do you think I would let him out of my sight without the knowledge of how to take care of himself? Do you think I would do that? Answer me Wizard!"

"So," he lowered his voice, and leaned into her. "How is it working so far witch? Where is he? Have you misplaced him yet again? Do you think…"

That was as far as he got before her hand connected with his face.

He wanted to strike back but did not, he wanted to lash out with his tongue, but did not. Something in him managed to stay his hand, although his fist clenched at his side.

"I will have you know, Mr No Where to Be Found Daddy that I have done everything I could alone. My son, my son I tell you, knows what to do. He can cast curses to defend himself, he can send a Patronus to me, and yes at eleven years old, he has a full Corporal Patronus. He can set up shields, maybe simple ones, but he can do it. Maybe he does not have a wand with him. Maybe he cannot get to one. They would never expect an eleven year old to know curses, or simple spells, they may get sloppy and leave a wand where he can get at it. He knows to call on Millie, yes you great over grown son of a bitch, my son has an elf, and if he is in an un-warded area, he knows to call on her just like Ellen did. He can apparate, not far, maybe just a few streets down, but he can do it. All this he can do. We need to keep looking, but he can help damn it…," she looked around either for something to throw or for more words to spit out, he was not sure which.

He had seen this look often. He knew what was coming. She had the same glazed over expression her daughter took on when on a roll. The fleeting thought that he should warn Molly crossed his mind.

"Beth," he had to try

"Don't Beth me, you too long legged excuse for a Wizard, my son knows all sorts of good things. He can read really well, he knows his numbers better than your students in this god-forsaken place. Of course, maybe his arithmetic is not what you teach here, I wouldn't know about that…" She was again looking around licking her bottom lip.

"Beth," he tried again.

"Oh no you don't, you don't bring this home and put it on my doorstep. You were the Death Eater, you are the one that brought this on his head, you and Dumbledore, and that … that thing you decided to give your life to. I sent owls to you. I asked for help. I begged you to see your daughter, to acknowledge her. I begged! You did not open one missive, not one. I asked you to help with him, to come and see him. Well, not really help, but I wanted you to know about Ellen."

"Beth," he grabbed her shoulders, thinking three was the charm, "Kiss me."

She sputtered, stopped, looked at him, and did.

He had hoped she would remember the safe word, stop ranting and merely glare at him. He had not expected this. Not since she had given him the safe word, and he had unknowingly thought it was a request, had he been this happily surprised at a simple miscommunication.

He allowed her to kiss him freely, feeling her mouth turn hungry, feeling her wanting more, he crushed her to him, willing to take what she had offered this time. Tasting her mouth, it was as he remembered. It had been too long, too long since he had held her, his body remembered the softness she could offer as his mouth remembered the taste.

Her arms came up to his neck, her hands fisted in his hair. She melted into him, letting go of the world around her needing to find safety in his arms. He knew what she felt; it was the same in him. His right hand smoothed her back. Then his hands stilled, his mouth pulled back, his eyes sought hers.

"Beth," he whispered, "I cannot do this. I cannot …"

"What is wrong, what the bloody hell did I do?" Cursing for losing her resolve so quickly by falling into his arms, she pulled back. "I am sorry I know you don't want this anymore."

His finger against her lips stilled her at once, "I cannot do this with his brand on you. You gave him leave to brand you so you are his. This part of you anyway, when you…" Her hand again connected with his face.

"How dare you?" she hissed, tears coming to her eyes, "You think me his whore? You looked at my memories and you still do not understand? Let me go you bastard…"

"Oh gods no," he said pulling her to him, "Gods, I know why you let him put the brand on you, but it does not matter, the only thing the spell needs is acceptance. It is of the Dark Arts, as dark as they come, Beth. A spell that would allow you to bond, without full knowledge, I am sorry Beth. I never meant to hurt you."

"Well just remove it," she said looking up at him as if this was a simple thing.

"It would not hurt to research the spell. However, it is magical, so little may be done," he replied. "In the meantime……we had just determined that he did not have his wand, and that he does know a handful of spells and how to call an elf. He can do all this at eleven?"

"You hippogriff's arse you," she said shocked. "All this time you carry on like an idiot, and now you, you…"

"Yes, I am quite proud of my son," he smirked. "Beth, let's get back to what we need to talk about, not this infernal bickering."

"Fine, then let's… as you know, he went with Sandy, to soccer practice, without his wand. That was the last I saw of him. And then, when I came downstairs Lucius was there, you saw the rest in my memories. That's it, not enough to even have a clue."

"Why did you train Ellen to stay on the stairs?" He asked not understanding this part of the whole.

"Ellen is a little, how shall I put this?" she looked at the floor pondering, "a little unfocused. I thought by keeping her where there was nothing to distract her, she would be able to focus on what she needed, instead of turning on the telly and watching cartoons."

Severus was not sure that the term unfocused fitted the child, but agreed her mind would not land and take hold of one thing. Nodding his approval and understanding, he returned to the problem.

"So, all we know is that Lucius has him some place heavily warded. House elves can get in almost anywhere if one of the family is in harms way, so if Millie has not brought him here, whoever has him must even have warded against elves. Not an easy thing to do," he said more to himself than to her.

"I told him to have Millie take him to Dumbledore Manor. That is where she is now. That is his home Severus, not Hogwarts. If he shows up there I will know within a minute."

"Yet, Ellen came to me." He looked at her questioningly.

"I have already scolded her about it," she said looking at him. "She was to tell Millie to take her home."

"You would have kept them from me?" Severus hissed at her.

"You would not even accept the owls, what was I to think?" she said with a growl back at him. "What if you had reset the wards against us? What if you had not accepted her?"

"Enough! We need to figure out who has him." He ran his hands through his hair, glaring at her. "We can yell at one another later."

"No, you need to remember why they were not to come here. But, yes… we need to figure out where he is, we already know it is Lucius."

"No, we know that Lucius is behind this. We also know that Lucius is a lazy person, who uses elves in all of his homes, and I assume his safe houses. He must be working with someone well versed in Dark Arts who has no elves, and that my dear will lead us to Muggle born, or half blood." He scowled looking down at the paperwork in front of him.

"Better it had been pure blood, at least the number to check out would be smaller," she said as she sighed.

"Not true Beth, How many Muggles would know true Dark Arts. The secrets are so heavily guarded, I would guess none."

"How many are half bloods that are also on Malfoy's insider list?" he said, frowning. "Until now I would have said one, the one in front of you my dear. So, now, we must discover who else may be a half blood that is posing as a pure blood."

"But, Severus, I thought you were a pure blood," she said confused.

"No, I have never hidden the fact, it is only assumed due to my past. I have no need to dispel that notion."

"So what now?" she asked.

"I have a portrait to talk to, and you need to check with Poppy on that brand, then we both have some research to do. I will meet you in the Library in one hour." He left for his outer office with no more explanations.

They met at the library as planned. Severus was already bent over a book in the restricted section. He had a pile of books at his elbow, parchment and paper at his ready. Looking up when he heard her coming, he knew by the look on her face what Poppy had told her.

"Don't worry Beth, we will remove it later. It has crossed my mind that we may have use for that brand in the future," he smirked. "Although it may put off a rather pleasant past time, it may be much more beneficial where it is."

Pushing a pile of books toward her, he explained what they were looking for. Hours passed, as they worked side by side not talking. She, reading, noting what she had found, and turning to yet another book, him doing likewise, and checking her notes from time to time.

After several hours, a half-eaten meal, and two pots of black tea later, he jumped up. Book in hand he began pacing as he read, walking faster as he did. Finally tossing the book down, he glared at her.

"Well, witch. There," he said as he pointed at the book he had just read, "is the answer. You can cross the wards he has set. He will be aware of your presence, but the wards will not stop you. As his _pet,_"he sneered at her, "you are allowed to break the wards any time you are in need of a conjugal visit."

"Severus, please," she said looking away.

"What? Did you think the brand had any other reason than to mark you as his whore?" he asked incredulously.

"No, but I hoped you would not say it that way," she said pouting.

"Good gods witch, stop this self seeking …," he said at loss for words. Then, he stopped and looked at her.

"What Severus, losing your touch? You hesitate to hurt my feelings much too often. Perhaps you are becoming soft in your old age," she quipped, "or perhaps just soft."

"Watch what you say witch," he glared at her hard, "or you will see just how much that Brand can burn."

"Burn?" she asked raising her hand to her breast. "It did not burn badly when he did it."

'No, but if I take you, you will truly learn the meaning of fire. It will not be the fire of desire. This type of brand does not harm the Wizard, but the witch. It was the favourite of the Dark Lord. He would bring in a branded witch, watching as the Death Eaters raped her. The pain the brand inflicted was a bonus. The pain burns not just randomly, but in the area protected by the brand. Need I go on?" He glared at her darkly. "Need I give you my visions in a pensieve before you will believe me about this?"

"Oh my gods, Severus, I am sorry, I am so sorry," she whispered.

"I would rather you watched your tongue than hear your contrite apologies witch, I have had enough for the day," he said with a sneer as he turned and left her among the tomes.


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 29**

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Term had ended. The students boarded the train, and returned to their homes. The only ones staying at Hogwarts were the waifs, and children that Albus had promised would always be welcomed. Thirty-Six Children lived at the school year round. They were the children of the whores of Knockturn Alley, fathers who languished in Azkaban and other children not accepted in polite society.

Although accepted by the school, there were still those on the staff that saw them a little differently. Overly proud students gave them rude looks, or outright sneers, taunting them with brash comments and laughing at their discomfort. They fought for recognition, having had little schooling before attending Hogwarts, and somehow managed to take the top grades.

"This is so much better than what it was, but attitudes do change slowly." Minerva had addressed her concerns one day, while sitting at the head table. "These children, for the most part, have no other place else to go. If we could have done this sooner, the Ministry would have given you to us. Hogwarts would have been your foster home. Albus would've been pleased."

Beth looked into the faces of the thirty-six. She knew that they still yearned for homes, for mothers to hold them, for fathers to make proud, but at least here, there was hope. She sighed and turned back to her dinner.

Eating little had become a habit with her. Unable to keep anything down, she had lost so much weight that Poppy had gone to the Headmaster, demanding he do something.

"What do you suggest I do Poppy? Shall I sit on her while you cram the food down her throat? I have tried Poppy. At least now, she takes her meals, all three a day in the Great hall. At least she eats something," he had told her.

"She is getting ill, Severus. If she does not eat, if she continues to lose weight, I fear for her. This is beyond concern. Take a good look at her and tell me something is not going on beyond that of a missing child. I tell you something is there," Poppy said, pleading with him.

He took Poppy's advice and began to watch her more closely. He saw the way her eyes darted around, the way she rubbed her arms as if cold, even in the summer's heat. He often had to call her name twice just to get her attention. He knew her mind was turning inward, but she covered by saying her thoughts were elsewhere. She said, instead of admitting the truth, that she was tired or that she had not slept. He was concerned but did not know how to approach the subject without her getting mad at him again.

Beth woke each day wanting the next. She poured over lists of places she may have gone, known to be used by wizards, and lists of names Severus secured from the Ministry, looking for someone familiar. They searched for a name or any memory she had seen while living in the Muggle world, something she could remember that could be traced back to this world. She studied the prior list of students, hoping to find a connection.

"You know Severus. I was not part of this world, other than Tom, there is no one left from my early days here. I don't even know what I am looking for," she had complained one day.

"All we can do is keep looking," he had said softly.

"If only I had learned a stronger tracking spell to place on him," she mused.

"A what?" He clenched his jaw as he glared at her.

"A tracking spell, you have heard of them?" she muttered.

"After weeks, you decide to impart this knowledge on me?" He looked at her with darkened eyes. "You have a tracking spell on him and did not think it important to mention this to me?"

"Severus, don't you think I check every day? Several times a day? Don't you think I know what…, I can't do this, Severus," she said, standing up to leave. "I am trying. Do you understand? I am trying, but I feel like I am disappearing. I try to think, to talk to you, to … to not be like this … I feel like I am dying, and the only thing that is holding me back is not knowing, not knowing if he lives."

She looked up at him tearfully and hesitantly stepped forward, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing. "I am trying. I just can't think … I can't close my eyes without seeing him. Every time I put a mouthful of food in my mouth I wonder if he is hungry. Every time I hear your voice I see him. Every time I think of what Lucius is capable of I want to die."

"He is alive, Beth." Severus rested his head in her hair, smelling the shampoo that had always reminded him of her. "You need to … you need to focus. You need to worry about our daughter as well, but first you need to take care of yourself."

"He looks for you," she sighed. "He wanted to come back here. If I had let him, if I had sent him to you, he would be safe. He would be here. Don't think I haven't thought about it, I know it's what you think I should have done. I see how that monster ruined my life, and I know he is doing the same thing to our son. Will he ever trust again? Will he ever be able to feel safe? Or, will he be like us? Unable to ever be free of our pasts, ever to really love without fear? That scares me, Severus. It scares me to think I have destroyed his future, if he lives how damaged will he be?"

"If we could redo the past, we would both do many things differently."

She dropped her arms and stepped back from him. "I am not sorry I had them, Severus. Whatever you think whatever you would have done differently, I am glad you gave them to me, and I …"

"Beth?" He tipped up her face and looked at her sternly.

"I'm sorry. I said I wouldn't do this. If it is over between us it is over, I know that, I'm sorry."

"Beth, no." He pulled her back. "All I ask of you is to…"

"I have to go," she whispered, swallowing hard. "I've learned, Severus. I know my place here. Don't … I can't take anymore."

From that point on she would research old newspapers and lists that the Ministry delivered while sitting in the library, keeping away from him, communicating only when she felt she had found a possible link. Beth was on her way to the Great Hall to take morning meal when she saw Draco talking to Severus in the dungeon hallway. The sudden flash of silver hair, his grey eyes, so like his fathers, brought her panic back and felt it cover her like a wool cloak on a hot day.

She lashed out. Running up to him, her hands fisted, she was on him before he could figure out what was happening. Beth brought her fists up, hitting his chest, her feet kicking out. Severus saw her too late to stop her and left Draco so surprised, at the Muggle style attack that he allowed the first of the blows to make connection, before grabbing her arms and shaking her. Severus yanked her away from him, holding her waist, and pulling her off her feet.

"Draco, I would like you to meet the mother of my children, Elizabeth Gilstone. However, she prefers Bet Stone," he smirked.

"Good day Madam, perhaps we can talk over tea later." Bowing low in a formal greeting, he turned laughing loudly and walked away.

Calling over his shoulder, "About 2:00 pm I would guess, perhaps you can get that cat tied up by then."

As he rounded the corner and was out of sight, she spat on the floor and stopped struggling.

"Are you done witch?" Severus hissed.

"Yes, as long as he stays away."

"Beth, I warn you. One more outburst like this, just one more, and I will tie you up and confine you to your chambers. Am I clear?" The Potions Master and Headmaster warned her in a harsh voice.

"Yes, but…" she sputtered

"No Beth, enough, I have told you. Enough." He let her feet back to the floor and spun her to look at him.

"I met a shy, proper witch at Canterbury. I fell in love with her," he said as he used his finger to still her lips, "yes, in love. Something I could not say then, and find difficult to say now. That witch bore me two children. Children I must add I do not know. To be honest, I do not see that witch now. I see a glimpse now and then. I even like the strong Beth better, but this, this," he said as he tried to put a name to her anger, "This I cannot abide. You need to pull yourself together. You need to be an adult and take care of yourself."

He transfigured a mirror from a hairpin he had pulled from the mess on her head and handed it to her.

"Look Beth, what do you see?" He looked into her eyes and then left her standing in the hallway alone.

She held up the mirror, saw the haunted sunken eyes that peered back at her, the uncombed hair, and the pallor of her skin. Looking down she took in the rumpled clothes. She returned to her chambers alone. She ordered breakfast brought to her rooms, took a long hot shower, attended to her hair, and tried to find a feeling of herself. She was not sure she was still in her body somewhere. She knew she could slip away. If she did, who would care for the children? She knew she had to regain control.

By that afternoon, she was ready to be civil when their guest appeared for tea. Smirking at her, Draco entered the chambers with a flourish of robes and a formal bow. She returned the bow with an equally formal curtsy, offered him tea, and sat between him and Severus at the laid out tea service. She poured the tea, keeping her eyes down, serving with her right, she passing her left over the cups as she did. After the initial pleasantries, she offered an apology for her behaviour that Draco waved off.

"Ms Stone," Draco said as he leaned forward in his chair, "I am aware that it is my father that is at the heart of your problems. I am not at all like my father. I will help you in any way I can. If my godfather here did not have so much pride, he could have flooed me long before this."

Beth's head came up looking directly into Draco's eyes.

"Then, tell me where my son is," she said in challenge to him.

"Oh, my sweet witch." He picked up her hand to kiss her palm. "I will do more than that. I will find your son, and help you bring him home."

"Now leave us my dear," Draco foolishly continued.

"Draco, let us take a …" Severus tried to cut off what was coming

"We have plans to make, and do not want to worry such a thing pretty little thing as you," Draco said following fools that had rushed in before, as he offered a smile to Beth.

Severus raised a hand to rub the bridge of his nose. Draco saw the gesture as Beth jumped to her feet, knocking the tea service to the floor.

"Draco," Severus said trying to warn him.

"How dare you send me from this room!" she started. "How dare you come in here and treat me like a mindless idiot because I am a female. You Wizards think a brain lies in your cock. Well, if you think for one moment I am going to go sweetly while my son is Merlin only knows where…. On second thought you do think with your cock, all the brains you two have could no doubt fit in the head it has. .."

Severus did not pay attention to the rant as he continued to rub the bridge of his nose. He noticed Draco's open-mouthed awe as Beth paced back and forth, calling him names that would have made a lesser man blush. Draco had stood when she had, if nothing else, he was always a gentleman. Only a gentleman could take the names she hurled without hurling a few back.

"She is warming up," Severus managed to say with a shrug, when Draco looked at him.

Hearing Severus join in, she then rounded on him, bringing up indiscretions real and imaginary. She threw his words back at him from yesterday and years before. She let go with everything she thought of him, she did not care if Draco was listening or not. It did not seem to matter how uncomfortable he was. Draco's lip turned up at his godfather's discomfort.

"It gets better," Severus said with a false calm. "You just have to wait for it. "

Beth stormed around the room, the two men listening, one in pain and the other in amusement. The sound of smashing glass, and Draco's snorts of laughter were too much for Severus. He stood, walked to the witch, counted to three and grabbing her by her shoulders hissed, "Kiss me."

Draco saw the witch sputter, begin stammering, turn red and slam out of the door.

Throwing his head back, he laughed until tears came. His godfather calmly cleaned up the mess of teapot and biscuits with a wave of his hand.

"Oh, my," Draco tried to catch his breath, "The look on your face."

"Enough, Draco," Severus spat, sitting back down.

"But Severus, wherever did you find her?" Draco managed to get out as he smiled at Severus.

"You would not believe it." Severus could not bring himself to say in a Muggle Cathedral in Canterbury.

"And," Draco said laughing again, "I have never heard of a safe word in the parlour."

"Draco," Severus's voice was low and warning.

"And what a password, Kiss me," he howled again.

"It works", Severus, said with a sneer that looked suspiciously like a pout.

"Yes," he whipped tears from his eyes, "it most certainly does. Tell me Uncle," Draco raised one eyebrow, attempting to hide his laughter. "Do you also use a safe word in the bedroom, is she as wild in there…"

"Enough," Severus shouted. Then he too had to chuckle, "She can be a little overwhelming. Please Draco, in the future do not treat her…. As … Well do not treat her as …"

"A witch?" Draco supplied.

"Exactly," Severus intoned, the image of Beth teaching his new class Muggle Studies came unbidden to his mind.

Draco was good as his word. By the next day, he was back in Severus' chamber. He jumped to his feet when Beth entered. When Severus cleared his throat in warning, he looked at her solemnly

"Miss Stone… Ah, Ms Stone." He quickly corrected hearing Severus' groan.

"I am sorry for my behaviour yesterday." He gave a short bow before continuing. "Although I may be pig headed and stubborn, as you so aptly pointed out, I will do everything I can to find your son for you."

He smiled at Beth until he heard another groan from Severus. Realizing where this was headed, he tried again.

"As I was saying," he said pointedly at Severus, before turning back to Beth, "although I am all those things, I would never want you to feel less than an equal, nor would I turn my back on you, or shun you, the mother of his children, or that we do not need your help in our search." Here he nodded to Severus.

"I too must apologise, Mr. Malfoy," she nodded and tried to smile.

"Now Ms Stone," he said as he indicated a vacant chair to her. "If you would join us, we can begin."

He laid out page upon page of information. Each page listing the co-ordinates of one of the Malfoy properties, and the wards used to protect them as well as the elves in residence.

"I had thought that Millie may have a loyalty here, or have heard something. Perhaps you will show it to her?" He handed Beth the list of names.

"Draco, I need to have you see a piece of Beth's memory. I need you to see the stonework in the dungeon. Beth, would you leave the room, please. I can have him use my memory. I will make it as selective as I can," he said softly, knowing what it would cost her to have Draco enter her mind.

She all but fled from the room in embarrassment, her face and neck turning red as Draco looked at his godfather.

"Your father took her to one of the dungeons. I am hoping you can identify the stone work, it is rather old, and distinct," he offered.

"No, Severus that is not it. What did he do to her? Why did you not tell me?" Draco questioned standing, glaring at his godfather. "I will ask you again. Did he harm her?"

"Not in the way you imagine. He did try, and someday Beth may agree to share that story, but for now, the memory is still too fresh for her," he stood, preparing his mind for the intrusion, quickly adding a final vision. Standing in front of the Wizard that now reached his height, he nodded his consent to proceed.

Draco saw the stonework of the dungeon, smelled the damp air, felt the evil trapped there. Then a flash of his father, on his knees and a dainty foot connecting with a wand, shoved up his arse, came across before he found himself once again looking into Severus's black eyes.

"Remind me never to anger her again," he snorted, throwing his head back he roared with laughter.

Beth, hearing the laughter put her ear to the door, listening. She nearly fell into the room when Severus opened the door scowling at her as she tripped in. Raising an eyebrow at her, she only sneered back at him as she stomped into the room stopping at the sight of Draco's low sweeping bow, and grinning mouth.

"Ah my lady, my brave lady," he chuckled. "I knew there was more to you than meets the eye. I am ever in your debt."

She turned a deep red, and ran from the room.

"If you don't marry her Uncle, I will," Draco laughed, slapping Severus on the shoulder.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 30**

* * *

Draco and Severus turned back to the problem at hand. Draco quickly tossed out fourteen of the seventeen properties owned and controlled by Malfoy Holdings as not fitting what they had discovered so far. He assured Severus that none of the safe houses would fit what they had just seen.

Narrowing the choice down further would require a bit of research of stone techniques. Draco was sure he could find what he needed at Flourish and Blotts, as all the ancient structures at one time or another were surveyed and recorded in the history books. Although the location of the house may be unplottable, its structure would be known.

Beth was in the next room, learning Severus' pacing method. She found it hard to keep track, and since she never timed her route, she failed to see how this could be soothing to the nerves. Still she paced, until she heard the outer door shut, signaling Draco's departure.

She strode into the room where Severus sat. She stood directly in front of him and tapped her foot, that was all, just tapped her foot. He kept his nose down, feigning interest in the book he held. Still her foot tapped.

He reached down beside his chair onto the side table. Raising his teacup and keeping his eyes on his book, he sipped his tea. She still her tapped her foot.

They stayed that way longer than she thought possible, him reading, her tapping. Finally, when she could take it no longer she slumped into her chair.

"Why, hello my dear, so nice of you to join me," he purred nastily.

"Severus, how dare you?" she quipped back at him.

"Beth, enough. He wanted to know what his father had done to you. All he saw was an unnamed foot connecting with a well-placed wand. He deserved that much," Severus smirked. "Now let it go witch. "

"So, does he know where Tobby is?" she hesitated to ask.

"Not yet," he looked to her coldly.

"When Severus? When will he know?" she pushed

"Beth! He has only known of this for one full day. We have three possible locations, we will attempt to narrow it down, and no," he held his hand up to her. "I will not give you more than that. I do not need you running off until we have more information."

She looked into her lap, saying, "Tobby, and now my Ellen. I called Millie today, I asked her to check with other House Elves, in case maybe they had heard something. I don't know what to do Severus. I am scared that Ellen will never forgive me for leaving her with Molly this long. I talk to her on the floo every night. I do, but Severus… I can't keep this up," she said, no longer feeling the tears falling on her face.

"Beth," he lowed his voice and looked at her. "You need to give this a few more days. You need to put your trust in me."

He stood up, dragging her to her feet. "Anyway, it is dinnertime, we are expected in the Great Hall this evening," he scowled, waiting at the doorway for her, taking up her elbow, and leading her to dinner.

The next morning a small Barn Owl swooped down landing in front of Beth as she was having breakfast in the Great Hall. It perched at her plate, nipping at her hand, and hooting softly. She gave the owl a treat as she removed the parchment. She had not received any mail at Hogwarts before, and assumed Ellen was sending a missive. When she opened the small piece of parchment, she saw the black border, and read only the name Toddy, before coming to her feet. She stared at the piece of parchment lying on the table, and then rushed from the room.

Severus grabbed the note scowling, standing up to follow Beth. As he passed Minerva's chair he stopped to show her the note. She scowled as she looked at it, and then nodded to Severus.

"Severus, I have tried to intercept all the owls, this one got through though. I told you we would not get them all. I am sorry, but there is nothing further to be done," she said with her voice hushed. "Severus, we get maybe a hundred owls a day, what am I to do?"

"Better Minerva, better," he hissed as her hurried after Beth.

The next day Draco arrived while Beth was still in the shower. Severus pulled him to the side, in an alcove off the main hallway, to explain about the notes they had been receiving.

"This is the eighth so far, we have also received threats on Ellen's life. I have informed Molly, and the Ministry has placed guards at the Burrow. We don't want Beth to know because there is nothing she can do about it but worry," he ran his hand though his hair. "You need to give me your word she will hear nothing about this."

"You need not ask for a promise Uncle," Draco used his favourite term for his godfather. "It is understood."

They stepped back into the hallway and proceeded to Severus' chambers where Beth waited with tea.

"Ah, my dear," Draco greeted her with a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. "I am so pleased to see you this morning. I must say you look beautiful today."

Severus gave him a dark look. He did not like the way that Draco flirted, nor the way Beth blushed under his attention, lowering her head, then looking up through her lashes.

"Mr. Malfoy," Severus said, using his godson's formal title with a snarl. "Please be seated so we may continue our discussion from yesterday."

Draco raised an eyebrow at his godfather, but did as he had requested. Sitting down, he pulled three pages of notes from his pocket, and with a wave of his wand enlarged them to readable size.

"Well, Ms Stone," he said as he turned to her, "since we are working so closely together may I use your first name, Beth?"

"No, continue, where you left off yesterday," Severus said waving his hand over the papers, closing the subject.

"Yes, Uncle, as I was saying to you on the way in," Draco tried not to snicker at the speed in which Severus had answered. "I found what we were looking for. I have it narrowed down to two properties, and have a strong suspicion, on one of them." Spreading out the papers, complete with floor plans, they took it all in.

It was several hours later that they all felt that Draco was correct in his assessment. The south of France held the smallest, oldest and most seldom used of the properties. Draco remembered a trip he had made with his mother when he was a young child. Due to the isolation of the manor, they had not used it for quite some time. The Library was empty, the grounds devoid of anything interesting, and Draco had spent days on end exploring. He thought the dungeons were the ones located there. He had also found a book on ancient building techniques, and had matched what appeared to be the stonework.

"This would mean that our original assessment that someone other than Lucius has the boy was incorrect," Severus said coldly.

"Yes, but everything matches up. I found this floor plan," Draco said as he shuffled the papers looking for the plans on the French property. "It was in the family vault, but they are a few hundred years old. The Manor dates back to 1349, who knows how it matches today. I have inked in the things I remember," he shrugged his shoulders. "I am afraid it is the best I could do."

Beth had come to stand behind him, leaning over his shoulder to get a better look at the plans. She could not read the prints as well as the Wizards could, but she could make out the basic structure of the rooms.

"I don't know how to thank you Draco," Beth said, smiling down at him. "I am sorry about before, I must have been more upset than I thought."

"Oh, I can think of a way you can thank me," Draco laughed and raised his eyebrow. "Perhaps some evening if Uncle is busy I will collect you for dinner?"

"Draco, leave these pages on the table. I need to look these papers over, and then we will come up with a plan." Severus said flatly, looking between the two of them. He then looked directly at Beth, and holding her gaze for only a moment, he left the room.

Severus knew that Draco needed to flirt the way most wizards needed to breathe. It was a pastime with Draco, more a way of life, flirting was his life. He suspected that his bed had not been cold two nights in a row since his father had gone into hiding. He also suspected it was from loneliness, but at this time, he did not care for the reason. He did not like the attention he was paying to Beth.

Severus spent hours each night, working on the plans to save his son. He worked long after the rest of the castle slept, only to be back at his desk by 6:00 am. When he was not working, he was thinking of what he had missed. He could not find a way to enter the Manor short of blowing in the front door.

He was not hesitant because he did not have the nerve or the power to smash the wall. He was hesitant because if his son was in that Manor, he did not want him killed when the front door splintered in a thousand pieces, signaling his arrival and alerting his captors. He also determined that a hole in the south wall of the manor would better suit his needs being closer to both staircases, and the dungeons.

Even if Beth could get through the wards, he did not know what to do after that. She could walk in, of that, he was sure, but he did not know if she would then be able to leave. He paced for hours. He went over every possible scenario in this mind. None of them worked. In every case, he saw Tobby's dead eyes, or Beth's cold face. He hoped Draco would come up with something before he had to take too great a risk.

It was a full week before Draco came back. He arrived at mealtime, and found Beth in the Great Hall, Severus taking his meal in his office as he went over his work on the Manor for the last time. Draco walked up and sat next to Beth at the head table, taking Severus' empty place. The elves smiled and bowed bringing him his known favourites from his student days. He shook his head as he looked over to the students there for the summer

"Times have changed, Ms Stone. If those students were here in my day, there would have been hell to pay. Dumbledore may have been able to stay as headmaster, but every paying student would have been pulled out by mid-term," he said thoughtfully. "I guess it is a good thing. Times are changing, but I wonder about them," he continued, nodding to the table. "Maybe they would be better off in their own school."

Beth straightened in her chair, preparing for combat.

"No, no, you got it wrong," he said, smiling. "They may be accepted here as students, but cannot afford to be fully integrated into the system. How many of those students are on the Quidditch Team, none I would care to wager. They cannot afford it. In addition, how many take their free days in Hogsmeade? None. I would be willing to bet that none of these students even goes to any of the festivities, the balls, the dances, and such. They cannot afford the clothes. Sure, they can get an education, but that is it. What they really get educated on is being different, and unwanted. At least in the past they could think it was the Law, or the evil Ministry. Now they are left wondering if it is them."

"WOW," he said in mock wonder, "Where did that come from? Anyway, let us find my Uncle. We have our own very special child to find."

They walked arm and arm through the castle, him regaling her with schoolboy pranks, she asking about pictures and statues they passed. The sound of their laughter carried down the dark halls, resounding off the stone walls, and carrying far ahead of them.

Rounding a corner, still holding arms and laughing, they nearly bumped into a very stern Professor Snape.

"Severus, Draco was just telling me that one of the teachers here turned him into a ferret!" she laughed.

"Not a real teacher Beth, an impostor," Draco chuckled.

"If you two are finished reliving your past lives and rutting in the halls like a couple of students we could actually accomplish something. As mundane as finding my son may seem to you, I for one have placed the task at the top of my priorities," he sneered at Beth.

"Severus, what …," she stuttered, blanching at his reprimand. She watched as he turned, robes billowing behind, and headed for his study.

Draco clenched his jaw, dropped Beth's arm and ran after him. Having no problem catching up, he yanked Severus around by the elbow.

"That was completely uncalled for old man," Draco sneered, ignoring the wand pressed against his throat. "If you were planning on hexing me you would not use a wand, you could put me into the courtyard with a flick of your finger." Draco knocked the wand away with his arm, glaring at his godfather.

"This Godfather is uncalled for, if you want me gone say the word. If you want help getting your son back, tell me. Just do not get into one of your moods. I am getting too old to step around your every little perception of right and wrong. I will now go into your office and wait. You have some explaining to do, and I think an apology is in order." Draco said, and then turned away from him.

Draco left them, his robes fluttering behind him, leaving Beth and Severus behind. As she stood looking at Severus, she could not read his face. After several moments, he also, turned and left.

She was not sure what had just happened, but she feared Severus was angry once again, but she could not fathom what had triggered it.


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 31**

* * *

Beth's belongings had been moved to smaller rooms down the hall from Severus. He had said it was more appropriate with term soon starting that she have her own quarters, and no longer have to share a common room with him. They did not take meals together, and when eating in the Great Hall the seating had been changed so as not to seat him near her, putting even more distance to their relationship.

She still talked to Ellen nightly, but found the child more concerned with what was going on around her, and less interested in what Beth was saying. Beth greeted Severus, the rest of the staff, and Draco with formal manners and other than the occasionally required social tea with Minerva, kept herself shut off and distant from the others.

"Ms Stone," Severus said stiffly. "Word has just arrived from one of the old Order members. He has been watching the estate we expect to find Tobby in. We can now make our final arrangements. I will notify you when the exact day and time is known."

That was all he said before bowing and striding away, leaving Beth to watch after him. That night when the castle was quiet, she snuck into Severus' office to find the papers that described the Manor. Once she found them, she memorized the coordinates and walked out of the main gates, apparating to the south of France. She had to take short trips to avoid the pain of such a long voyage, and stopped in Manchester, London and Dover before making the short hop over the channel. She heard her heart pounding against her ribcage, as she finally arrived at her destination.

She had no plans when she arrived in front of a large country house. She no ideas further than seeing the house for herself. She found herself walking up the path, opening the front door, and entering. She walked through a series of rooms that stretched across the front and down the side of the large Manor. Seeing the staircase twisting upwards, carrying her wand in front of her, she hoped to find him and leave before she was discovered.

The first door she came to opened into an empty room. The next showed evidence of recent use but was also empty. As she opened the third, her wand flew from her hand and landed in the outstretched palm of Lucius Malfoy, facing the door, fully dressed, complete with silver-headed cane in hand.

"Well my dear," he said, smiling and stepping forward to take her hand and press it to his lips. "I have waited for you my dear. It appears that you have come to apologize for your indiscretion."

'No, Lucius, my son first," she said flatly, "and then anything you want."

"And, what position are you in to bargain with me?" he asked, incredulously.

"You don't want him, you don't even want me. You are after Severus, are you not? I can get him for you. Now, give me my son and we will talk. I can help you. I can get Severus to come here."

He grabbed her hair, pulling her from the door and pushing her forward. She fell, only to be yanked to her feet and again pushed forward, out of the room and down to the end of the hall. Opening a door, Lucius pushed her in and laughed as she sprinted to the bed and clasped the sleeping boy to her. When the boy did not wake, she peered down into his face, then back to Lucius.

"What have you done?" she hissed.

"Umm," Lucius thought, tapping his chin with his finger. "It may be a little too much dreamless sleep, and he has not been eating well I cannot seem to remember the last good meal he has had. It has been… difficult without a full staff."

Until that moment, Beth had not even noticed the lightness of the small frame she held. She peered into the semi darkness, tying to see Tobby's face better. "Oh, my gods," her voice caught in her throat, "Lucius what have you done? He is a child!"

Tossing his silver hair back over his shoulder again, he laughed, "If anyone should know how I can be with an eleven year old, it is you Elizabeth Gilstone. I seem to remember you at this age, but don't worry, he has not been touched."

Beth turned her head to look at him calmly as she realized what he truly was. He had changed from the young man in charge, the man with appetites for young girls and power. She had overestimated him, and as she looked at him now, she knew he was completely insane. He did not have a well thought out plan, nor did he have any idea that Severus was also looking for him. He did not wonder how she came to be here, nor did she see evidence of his helper.

"What do you want?" She stood and looked at him calmly, suddenly hopeful, thinking that in his mental state she may have a chance.

"Walk," he sneered, pointing his wand to the stairs at the end of the hall.

She walked to the stairs, and started down slowly, as Lucius followed her. If she could just get his wand, if she could just think of something to do. The thought that she had been wrong to come without help never entered her mind. She only knew that her son desperately needed a healer, and she was the only hope he had to get to one before it was too late.

Lucius took her arm and forced her into the dining room, shoving her into a chair and taking his seat at the far end of the formal table.

"Accio walking stick." He raised his hand to catch the flying staff, and then hit its end on the floor, calling a house elf. "You see, even from Hogwarts they hear me. It will take a few extra minutes, and sadly Hogwarts food is not as good as I am accustom too, but it will suffice." They waited in silence until the elf reappeared laden with food, which he put in front of Lucius.

"Seems you are getting fat. I have decided I liked the young, thin, childish Elizabeth much better," he said. "Plus, hunger will make you more attentive. Unlike your son, you will obey if you expect to eat. He is too willful, too much like his father."

Her mind worked furiously, she had no idea what she could do. She kept wishing for a wand, cursing that she did not have a spare tucked into her waistband. _Damn_, she thought, she had been more cautious, more suspicious when she lived as a Muggle. In this world, she had felt secure. She had felt Severus could protect her at the same time as he looked for his son. She could only lift her head and try to smile at him.

.

.

When Beth did not appear for the morning meal, Severus was not concerned. When she was not at lunch, he raised an eyebrow but continued as if nothing was amiss, not wanting the others to know he missed her presence. By dinnertime, he was seething. He had thought that she was with Draco, on a little jaunt to Hogsmeade. He imagined what they could be doing. Throwing down his knife and fork, he left the table to storm to her quarters where at least he could make sure she was alone.

When there was no answer to his knock, he raised his right hand and whispered, "_Alohomora."_ Looking in her chambers and seeing her spare wand lying by the unused bed, he quickly inspected the fireplace, casting a tracking spell, unable to find a trace that she had left by floo. He fled the room, running down the hallway, robes billowing. He raced to his floo, he needed help, if he was correct, there was only one place she could be.

.

Lucius had finished eating, slowly chewing his food, showing Beth by his actions how safe he was, unhurried and untouchable.

"Lucius," she asked coyly. "Are you wondering how I found you, aren't you interested in the how, and why of this?"

He turned his chin up to the ceiling, looking down his nose at as if deep in thought. "No, witch, I don't think I give a damn. You see, in the morning we shall finish what we started. Then, you and I shall leave this place," he said waving his hand indicating the entire manor. "By the time my old friend comes, his son will be dead, and you shall be with me. You see witch, Severus, is a blood traitor. He cost me everything, my wife, my standing in the world, the Dark Lord. I plan to make him pay for his transgressions my dear. I am not a forgiving lord, and trust me dear witch, I will be the new Lord."

Beth wanted to encourage his rant, wanted to learn as much as she could. Tipping her head coyly to one side, she smiled at him. "What of your son, my Lord? What of his traitorous ways?"

"I no longer have a son. I need an heir, and that will be your job. Now my dear, one of Severus' heirs is upstairs, soon to be gone, and the other is at the Weasley's. Correct? I am going to retrieve her when we leave here, I shall send her to her father."

"Then, I too shall be free." She smiled thinly, fighting to keep up the ruse.

"Oh, not so free my dear, you see, first I have to punish you for the pain you caused me last time we met." He took quick strides to her end of the table, grabbed her, and dragged her out of the room, pushing her into a dark barren room, slamming the door, and leaving her in darkness.

Beth sat for what seemed like hours before she heard footfalls coming down the hall. The door opened as a different elf rushed in with a tray, pushed it quickly to her and ran to the wall and beat his head on the stones.

"I am bad, bad, bad," it said, hitting its head with each word. "Master will be angry."

Beth quickly grabbed the water, gulped it down, and then grabbed two pieces of cheese and a handful of apple slices.

"Go," she hissed, "before he finds you, but thank you. Will you take something to the boy?"

"No Missus" the elf sadly shook its head. "He has wards, I cannot get in. I try."

"Go, go quickly back to Hogwarts." She pushed the elf towards the door. "Tell Headmaster Snape I am here. The boy is his son. Please … please just tell him."

The elf looked at her with eyes the size of saucers and grabbing the tray winked out, the door closing and locking as he went. Beth closed her eyes and let the air she had been holding since the elf first opened the door out of her lungs. Of course, she thought, of course the elves would not turn against the Hogwarts staff and students. She wondered why the first elf had.

Hours went by before Lucius came into the room, and grabbing her by the arm again began to push her down the hallway. He did not stop until they were at his private bath. Beth looked around the room, taking in the splendor as she sought other entrances. The pool in the middle, for this tub was indeed a pool, was shimmering under the light of a vaulted ceiling. The ceiling was made entirely of glass, allowing the night stars to show themselves. Around the mosaic-tiled pool edge, were fainting coaches sitting on Persian rugs, and low tables filled with crystal decanters. She remembered pictures of Roman baths as she still sought, without finding, another way out.

"Disrobe," Lucius commanded.

Beth did as he told her. She followed his order as gracefully and with as much bravery as she could, while watching his every move. He pointed to the water, as he started to undo his belt. "Wait for me in there witch, I want to see you."

Completely naked he sat on one of the fainting coaches, and watched her swim in the hot steaming water as he undressed. He began to stroke himself as she swam lazily in the middle of the pool. Turning her eyes in disgust, she furiously planned, wondering if he were a strong swimmer, or if she had a chance if he came into the water. Moving to the side of the pool, he sat on the edge, letting his legs hang into the pool.

"Witch, come here," he demanded huskily.

She swam to him, putting out her hand to the side of the pool to hold on, using the time to search the floor next to him for his wand.

Beth felt true fear for the first time since stepping into the manor, but she dared not pull away as he grabbed the back of her head and twisted his fingers in her hair, pulling her close. She fought not to vomit as he pulled her between his knees and with his open hand hit her across the face.

"Taste me witch, " he laughed as he pushed himself toward her. She was unable to scream without opening her mouth, and until he grabbed her hair, she thought she might be able to do something to change his mind.

He grabbed her around the throat, his thumb on her windpipe and as she gasped for air, he plunged into her mouth. "Your boy still lives," he moaned, "keep your mouth open and he will stay that way."

Not satisfied that she was taking him fully, he withdrew himself, inched back on the tiles, pulling her with him out of the water. He could now lay down fully. He fisted her hair and again forced her mouth to take him. Laughing at her attempts not to retch and gag, he pulled out of her and quickly got onto his knees and pulled her up by her hair.

"One more thing witch, only not as gentle." He turned her over, forcing her to her knees, forcing her head down and having called his wand to him, put the tip of it to her arse, and guided it in.

"So witch, shall I do this as you did it?" he asked, "Shall I?"

Beth shook her head, no, her tears ready to surface. "My son," she choked, "anything, if you let him go."

"Anything?" he said putting his finger to his chin as if thinking. "But my dear, I have everything I need already. Whatever more could I want but you?"

He pulled the wand out of her arse and looked at her back with a raised eyebrow. "No witch, I think not. There are other ways to do this." He pushed himself into her arse hard and deep, causing Beth to take air harshly into her lungs and scream out in pain.

All she could do was focus on the pain, she felt hot liquid running down her thighs, and pain, always the hot searing pain. He pushed her head onto the tiles as he thrust harder, trying to hold her still as her instinctive flight response kicked in, pushing her forward, causing her to drop to her stomach, trying to escape, unable to play the part of a willing witch. Lucius grunted, entering, pulling almost out, and entering again. He felt the passage finally lubricate with hot fluid, smelled blood, and smiled.

"Oh yes, oh yes," he moaned, thinking he could do this again before morning.

Beth tried to crawl forward, each thrust giving her new pain. Pain she had not thought possible. She screamed and begged to be let go, her resolve to be brave and in control for her son gone. She stopped thinking of Tobby, of nobly risking her life for his, and sobbed out her pleas to Lucius.

He came with a roar; a thunderous completion that she felt was splitting her in two. Pulling her head back by the hair, he slammed it into the tiles. She lay on the floor, unable to tell how much time had passed, was it the next day or the next hour, she did not know. She only knew when he was behind her again, this time she did not scream, she did not fight as the tremors come over her. This time the pain took her mind to her son, she closed her eyes and wanted it over, over even if it meant to never open her eyes again. Darkness slipped over her, taking her to a place of safety, as again Lucius thrust.

He'd set a ward around the pool to prevent her from washing his smell off, laughing to think of her horror when she awoke to find herself once again at his disposal. He kicked her, turning her onto her back, and saw her eyes flutter only to close again. He left her there as he entered the pool. He needed to wash off her stink, he smelled like the whore. This was the witch that he dreamed of dumping at Severus' feet. He would show the traitor who Lucius Malfoy was. He would show the whole-damned world that he was untouchable and loyal to the old cause. After he had proven to Snape what he could do, he would send him his dead son, and then get the girl.

Beth lay still, watching him through swollen eyelids, and then glancing around the floor near her, she saw his wand. He had left it on the tiles, near her head. She was not sure she had the strength to reach it. If she did, she was unsure what she could do. She could not use his wand to cast an unforgivable. His wand would not allow her to turn it on him. She thought of casting a Patronus and sending it to Severus, but was too weak and the distance to Scotland too great. She lay still on her back, looking up, and then a smile turned her swollen lips into a smirk.

"Lucius," she whispered, sitting up and smiling the best she could at the wizard. "Does the pain always make a witch ready for more?" she asked silkily. "Does that make me a bad witch, a dirty witch?" she pouted.

Stretching cat-like toward him, holding the pain in a separate part of her mind, she inched closer to the wand as she arched her back, presenting her breasts to him. "Shall I come closer, Lucius? Shall I come in with you?" she fluttered her eyes looking down, still inching closer to the wand.

Stretching as if she was just waking after a long sleep, she looked up at him and smiled. Why Lucius," she gasped as if surprised. "You forgot something you naughty Wizard."

Lucius was watching her. Not since Bellatrix LeStrange had he seen such behaviour, nor had he seen a witch so insatiable. He hardened watching her, putting his hand under the water he masturbated to her sighs and suggestions. 'Oh yes,' he thought, it could be a long day with her.

Beth pouted and licked her finger, then in a fluid movement picked up the wand, and licked it suggestively. Lucius had felt a moment of trepidation when she had picked up the wand, but forgot everything when she brought it to her lips, closed her eyes and licked it from end to end.

Now, holding the wand in her right hand, pointing it up at the ceiling she ran her tongue from its base to tip again. Holding the wand, she raised her eyebrow, she needed permission to use his wand, and now she had found a way in which he would give it. She smiled knowing she could be just as devious as he had been when he placed the LM on her breast.

"Do you want this, do you want me to really do this?" she said, again licking the wand.

"Anything to please you my dear."

"No Lucius let me come to you. Let me make you _come_ up Lucius, may I make you _come_ up Lucius?" she hissed, licking the wand.

"Yes, make me cum." He sneered at her still fisting himself.

With a flick of the wand, he was hovering over the pool, with another flick the glass dome had exploded, with a third, the glass shards hurled toward him. Quickly returning the wand's tip to point at him, she held him in the air while the glass rained down, and the air filled with his screams.

She waited until silence descended once again into the once beautiful room. Standing, wavering from side to side, unsteady on her feet, blood running down her legs, she held him at the end of his wand, one last time for Minerva she thought. She slowly raised him to the ceiling, moving him so he was no longer over the pool, and released him. Letting his body fall 10 meters to the cold ceramic tiles, she slumped back to the floor watching as blood formed in a pool under his head.

.

.

Seven Order members had witnessed the explosion of part of the roof of the manor. They did not know what it meant, but they did know it was the diversion they had been hoping for. Severus ran to the main door, and raising his hand he blew it off its hinges. Nodding to three of the Order members to enter, he and the remaining four ran around to the side.

Again, he raised a hand, letting go a wave of magic that the others felt, and collapsed the wall in front of them. Standing to the side, he helped Minerva over the rubble, and then entered before the Weasley boys.

As he took to pass Minerva, she laid a hand on his arm. Turning to her confused, he raised his eyebrow.

"She is here Severus, I feel her," she said, frowning. "She is with Lucius, but Severus, I can feel it in the magic of Albus."

"Tell me if you feel her leave you Minerva."

They turned down a long wide hallway. Severus took the lead, pointing to the ceiling that seemed to grow higher as they walked. He felt moist air, and the smell of chlorine. He passed a quizzical look at Minerva, who shrugged her shoulders, and continued following him, concentrating on the doors they passed, shaking her head, telling Severus what he looked for was not there.

Minerva suddenly gasped, putting her hand to her throat, then whispering to Severus that Beth's magic was gone. He clenched his wand tighter and turned back to the hall. Either Beth was dead, or the magic she had received from Albus had been spent.

Opening up the door at the end of the hall, he stepped forward, putting his arm up to hold back the others until he understood what he was looking at. Lucius was laid on the side of the pool, a river of blood was running from his body to the pool, staining the water. Severus, caught a movement on the far side of the pool, and turned quickly, leveling his wand, not knowing it was Beth until he had her in line with his wand.

He dropped his arm and began to run to her, seeing her reach for a towel and hold it up to cover her nakedness.

"Beth," he called as he saw her turn away, and stopped as she apparated from sight.

"Severus, her own magic could only have taken her home. Check Hogwarts, and check quickly. We will finish here." Minerva shook her head sadly.

"Not without what I came for." He turned away and ran back down the hall to where the rest of the group had gone.

Recognising the curving staircase from the plans he had seen, he ran, taking the steps two at a time, his wand ready. As he was approaching the first landing, Kingsley Shacklebolt came running down the hallway shouting as he came closer.

"We have him. We have the boy." He reached out and grabbed Severus' arm. "The older Weasley boy, Charlie has taken him back. He is one of the fastest at apparation. He can be there in two stops."

"You had no right…"

"I thought you would want to do something about this place," Kingsley said solemnly. "Shall we step outside?"

"Not yet," Severus continued up the stairs, throwing door after door open.

"Snape!" Kingsley called to him, running back up and trying to yank him back. "She is gone and Malfoy is dead."

"And the one that took him still lives." He pushed Kingsley away as he continued blasting doors open. "Either help me find her or leave. This is not over, not yet."

"Headmaster!" Ronald called up the stairs, then sent his Patronus, calling Severus to the lower level.

He squatted down in front of the elf, looking up at Minerva. "What do we do with her?"

"Leave her." Severus thundered down the stairs, pushing Ronald to the ground and yanking the small elf by the scruff of its neck, flinging it into the wall and hissing, "Talk."

"Master dead," the elf cried. "Master dead."

"Severus!" Minerva stepped forward between him and the trembling creature. "It does what it must. It is bound to obey."

"Please, dark one, I go to new master?"

Severus turned to Minerva, grabbed her hand, pulled off her right glove and threw it at the elf. "You do not deserve to live. If I ever see you again, I will do more than just this. Now, tell me where she is."

"In the attic, Master makes her stay in attic."

He turned and left the manor, Minerva running after him, pulling at his arm. "Severus, listen to me. The one in the attic is she that Sandy? Is she the one you were looking for?"

He shook off her arm and continued to the gate, Minerva and the rest following, confused as to why he would leave the witch. Once they reached the edge of the property, he stood quietly, his head down, taking deep breaths and waited until he felt the magic he needed build. Holding up one arm, he indicated to the rest that they should move back.

Again, he lifted his head and calmly stared at the house that had held his son. Fists clenched at his sides, he stood silently until he could hear crackles of magic churning around him. Slowly raising his arms up from his sides until they were even with his shoulders, he dropped his head back. His long black hair swirled in the wind that was gusting around him, and static energy jumped from his hands creating snaps and crackles.

Suddenly a burst of light came from Severus's chest, formed into a orb and hovered. Again, the static energy built. Another shaft of light followed the first. The two orbs joined, grew larger and moved forward. Then the large orb of energy hit the manor, exploding the structure, moving the very earth, and obviating everything in sight to a pile of burnt rubble.

Severus went back to his normal stance, brushing off his cloak as if stepping out of a floo. Composed, and giving a nod to Minerva, he turned to Ron, Fred and Charlie.

"I would expect for this to go no further," he said, waiting until he received their nods of agreement, before he apparated back to Hogwarts.

"Bloody hell," Ron let out.

"We do not talk of the Headmaster's power. There are those who would be fearful. Are we clear gentlemen?" Minerva cautioned, looking down her nose.

Fred and Charlie nodded. Ron just shook his head and repeated, "Bloody hell."

"Exactly," Minerva said as the four left in a pop for Hogwarts.

Severus arrived at the Main gates only to find Beth not there. He could see Draco running toward him from the main doors.

"Where is she?" he demanded, meeting Draco half way.

"I don't know," Draco said, shaking his head. "I was waiting there, he pointed to a place near the wall. "I heard the sound of apparition, but by the time I got out the gate, all I found was this wand." He reached in his pocket producing the wand. "I know who it belongs to, Uncle if she got this far… he is dead?"

"Yes. You have to remember, that creature was no longer your father, try to…"

"Kingsley made it back. He has Tobby in with Poppy, but he doesn't look good," Draco said softly. "And, Uncle, he has never been my father."

"Draco, go to the Burrow, collect Ellen," Severus said evenly, knowing what Draco was inferring, unable to address it at this time.

"Is that a wise idea?"

Severus stood silently. "Draco, I will find her. Tobby will be fine," he insisted at last.

"Uncle, what if…"

"Enough," Severus thundered, "I will not accept anything less. Get my daughter, Beth will need her children near when I find her."

He turned searching the ground for anything he could track. Turning back to Draco, he frowned. "I gave you an order, now go," he said as a threat.

"Uncle, you do know I am not afraid of you don't you?" Draco said flatly.

"You will do as I tell you," Severus sneered.

"Yes, yes I will. However, I will do it not because I fear you. I would have thought you, of all people, would know that by now. I feared my father, but did not obey him," Draco continued.

"Does it never occur to you that people stand by you because they love and respect you?" Draco said evenly. "I will leave now, and collect Ellen, but one day, one day, Uncle, you will talk about this to me." Draco turned, walked outside the gate and left for the Burrow.

It took Severus only moments to find the bloody trail that Beth had left. When she had apparated she had no energy left to think, she had only a picture in her mind to go on. She had returned, as Minerva had guessed, to Hogwarts.

He found her curled under a tree, sitting, her back to the tree, hugging her knees, head lowered. At first, he thought her awake. He knew who this was, this witch at his feet. He felt it in his heart. However, his eyes did not recognize her. When she had turned up at Hogwarts the first time torn and bloody at the gates, he was not expecting her. This time, he knew who he looked for, and still found the sight in front of him hard to grasp.

Her bruised body had bite makes along the sides and on her breasts. Blood coated her body, crusted on her thighs and down her legs. He reached down and tenderly leaned her forward to look at her back for wounds. Finding only more cuts, and whelps, he turned her sideways, laying her down on the grass.

He wanted to snatch her up, rush to Poppy with her, and demand a cure, but he knew he had to check for damage, to make sure he could move her. He once again had to be methodical in his search. He did not know how much of this blood was hers, and how much Lucius'. He suspected it was Lucius' blood as he was unable to find a wound large enough to account for all of it. He reached for his wand and passed it over her.

He cast a spell to show what damage she had sustained and found head injuries, a broken nose, and her eyes swollen. He looked for open wounds, broken bones and cracked ribs, and found that she had indeed lost a grave amount of blood. He cast a contraception spell on her, looking at her state of undress and then cast a spell to see if he could have been too late. No glow came from her abdomen and he sighed in relief. He looked between her legs wondering now if the bleeding could have been from a vicious rape, only to find the source of the blood was further back. Groaning, he lifted her legs, and saw where the blood still flowed. He pressed his forehead against hers, and sighed as he called her name, knowing she could not respond.


	32. Chapter 32

**Rated M**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 32**

* * *

Severus had taken a sabbatical leaving Minerva as acting Headmaster. Although she did not take over his private chambers, she had made the suggestion jokingly that she could any time she wanted and if he kept up being an over bearing Git she just might do it.

"After all Severus, since you insist on taking your meals, working, and sleeping in the hospital wing you may as well live there," she had told him. "Beth will be fine you know. Tobby grows stronger every day, Ellen needs a home life, and living in an infirmary is not a good child rearing technique."

Severus would sit in the chair between the beds of Tobby and Beth, insisting Ellen be put across the aisle, where he could keep an eye on her at all times.

During the day, he and Tobby talked of all things and nothing. While Ellen ran up and down the infirmary aisles playing whatever five year old witches played. Severus was too scared to ask what she was doing half the time, and the other half chose to ignore her. He was sure she was playing at being a Potions Master as she clasped her hands behind her back and scowled as she yelled orders at the coat rack.

Severus did not understand half of what he grimly listened to when Tobby spoke, he would nod or give a "Is that right?" at all the right times. He knew nothing of playing soccer, or collecting matchbook cars.

When he had scowled and told Tobby he was no longer to play with any toy that could burst into flames, and Tobby had the gall to laugh at him, Severus had learned his lesson. Something about once burned came to his mind.

Ellen was worse. She may have lived at the Weasleys' for a while, but he still had problems understanding where her question was going before it got there and said hello to him. He found himself more at loss for words with these children than he had ever felt with Albus or the Dark Lord.

One day, to give him a break, Molly stopped by and took the children down to visit Hagrid. Later, Ellen told him of all the creatures she had seen, fed, and petted. Only the unicorns had shied from Molly, and Molly had been very angry when the children could not feed them. They had their favourite foods, and Molly assured them that unicorns would come right up to them, and they almost did until Molly's 14-year-old granddaughter had joined them.

"Why couldn't her granddaughter pet the unicorns Daddy?"

He often rubbed the bridge of his nose and requested headache potions. He prayed for Beth's recovery. Not once did he consider leaving the ward. Not once did he consider returning to his chambers at night when his family and the castle slept.

A week after _the __incident__, _as they had begun calling it, Beth had still not spoken. She would lie still, looking around. On occasion Ellen would sit on the bed with her allowing Beth to stroke her hair. Sometimes Tobby would spoon into her, his back to her stomach, and they would sleep together, Beth waking every few minutes, as if to reassure herself it was him. Severus had once leaned over to kiss her forehead, but had seen her stiffen and seen her tears.

Poppy brought Beth's breakfast tray to her one morning, deciding that the elves were no longer to do so.

"Don't look at me like that Severus," Poppy said, shooing Severus from his chair. "I will sit right here until that is gone." She plunked down in Severus' chair.

"And you young man," she glared at Severus, "you take those children outdoors. They are going to be as pale as you are if they do not see the sun in person. Now go," she ordered.

As Beth stared at the food, pushing the eggs around her plate, Poppy cocked her head at her. "You know Beth; you are not the only witch to be raped," Poppy stated.

Beth dropped her fork, turning her head so Poppy could not see her tears

"This afternoon a Healer is coming from St. Mungo's. Perhaps the fault lies with me," she said flatly, "Perhaps if I had demanded counselling for you sooner this would not have happened."

Seeing Beth's headshake she corrected, "Not the rape you ninny, your reaction to it. This runs deeper I think. Until you can say it out loud Beth, until you can talk about this, nothing will get better." With that Poppy left.

How could she tell them it was not a rape? That she had allowed Lucius to do those things to her. That she had gone willingly to him. Severus still held that Lucius had taken her. Her wand having been left behind was his evidence.

Beth took her chance at that moment. She ran. Once in the hallway she headed for the main door. She thought to hide by the lake, a place to run when she needed to hide. She headed there now, and then saw Severus ahead of her. Turning quickly she headed for the winding staircase that would take her down to the dungeons. Once there she headed for the side door, the one closest to the tower, down two more levels and then she would be out.

Poppy saw her leave and sent her Patronus to Severus, telling him where Beth had headed. He left the children to wait for Poppy, as he sprinted to the side of the castle, waiting for her to run out. Beth saw the door ahead of her and ran all the faster, skin slapping stone, her pounding feet the only sound she heard. Using both hands to push the door open, she fell when it swung outward, into Severus' waiting arms.

Beth struggled as he held her tightly. "Severus, please let me go."

"No Beth, this is it. We talk now. We talk here, and now," he roughly pulled her to the side, pushing her against the outside wall, holding her still.

"You first," his voice was low and on the edge of rage.

"Severus please," again she twisted against him turning her head away.

"Talk Beth, the rain is coming. You will be very wet and very cold, because we are not leaving here until you do," he sneered at her.

"Severus, please, you don't understand," she said, trying not to cry.

"Make me."

"I killed him. Draco's father, I killed him. I used his wand. I killed him," she all but screamed.

He shook her then, hard, her head snapping back and forward.

"You idiot. You stupid witch. You ignorant fool," he spat. "This is why you cry? You weep for Draco? You weep for Lucius?"

"Severus, please," she cried.

"Talk witch… tell me the real reason."

"I, I have done this before, they took my magic," she stammered. "I was put with those horrid people, I…"

"No one will take your magic witch, no one will take you away. Tell me what you weep for." He demanded holding her arms tighter.

"What if they take my magic Severus, what of my children, if I go to Azkaban, what of the children?" she cried out.

"Your children are safe. They are at home. You know they are safe, tell me why you weep." His black eyes unchanged as he watched her struggle against him.

"TELL ME!" he raged.

"My gods Severus please do not make me do this," she said as she trembled, her legs not supporting her. If not for him holding her up, she would have fallen.

"TELL ME!" he still roared at her.

"He did things to me Severus, awful horrid things," she gasped, trying not to vomit, fighting to keep the bile in.

"TELL ME!" again he yelled.

"You know what he did, do I need to say it?" she stormed, trying to push against him.

"YES, was his answer.

"He buggered me Severus. More then once, he raped me… he, he made me do things, he was in my mouth, he fucked that too Severus, he fucked that too…" Her rant started strong and tapered off to low sobs. "I let him, dear gods I went to him!"

"Who saved our son?" he asked, still shouting.

This brought her eyes to his.

"Answer me," he roared.

"I, I tried…" she did not know how to finish.

"Who do you weep for then witch? Not for Draco, not for Lucius, not for your son, safe in the castle, whom do you weep for then? Yourself?" he asked gently.

"I, I …. I weep for you," she whispered as he pulled her close.

"Tell me why witch," he said as his tone became calmer and certainly relieved.

"Because you trusted me, but I wanted to hurt you. Because I spent time with Draco, because I knew you didn't want me to. I kept hoping you would take me back, that in time you could love me, but I kept pushing you away, wanting to hurt you as badly as you hurt me." She looked up at him tearfully. "Everytime I felt you getting close I would want to push you away. To hurt you, but you kept trying. Kept…."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I couldn't stop. I couldn't think beyond Tobby, and if anything had happened to him or Ellen, I wanted to die. Now that they are safe I feel like I am. I have ruined everything. You have every right to hate me. I lie there … I lie there and know what I have done…to you…and what I did to Lucius and know you will send me away."

"Beth." He let go of her arms to cup her face. "I trust you still. I have loved you since I first saw your eyes as you came for me, as I took you in that filthy flat. I knew it then and I know it still. Do you love me still Beth?" he asked, afraid of her answer.

"Yes."

"Then who will you weep for?" He sighed in relief.

"I don't know, I guess I don't know," she replied as the first raindrops fell.

He leaned into her softly brushing her lips with his, inhaling her scent, and once again marvelling that she was his. He fell to her lips, his tongue gaining entrance, he felt her stiffen, but she did not pull away. Pushing her back from him, he drew in a breath of air.

"We should go," he said.

Walking her around to the front entrance, he felt better than he had in the past weeks.

"Oh," he said, "Did you know that Molly's granddaughter has a boyfriend? I think it is that McDonald boy in Ravenclaw."

Beth looked up at him in confusion.

"If you need to weep for someone, make it him," he said smirking. "Molly is going to be after him."

His laughter carried down the hall as he realized he could turn Ellen speak into an art form. They arrived at the infirmary to smiles. Poppy rushed to meet them, smiling as she noticed Severus lighter mood.

"Alright you two, Ms Stone has a couple of visitors from St Mungo's, and you young man," she scowled at him, "take these children to the Great Hall, they have taken their last meal here."

"What are witches from St Mungo's doing here?" he sneered at Poppy.

Beth placed her hand on his arm softly, "It is fine Severus. We are just going to talk," she said weakly, her eye filling with tears.

"What is wrong Beth? Poppy?" Severus demanded to know.

"Good Merlin man, give it up…" Poppy sighed.

"I will have Minerva take the children to meals, I plan on staying right here," he stated. Striding, to what was considered by all as _Severus' chair_, he sat.

Poppy transfigured a chair next to him, and joined him as Beth disappeared down to the far end of the infirmary, where two women waited for her.

The taller of the two witches approached Beth. "Hello, Ms Stone." She nodded politely. "I am Healer Cummings from St Mungo's Emotional Trauma Centre."

"This," she said turning to the rather austere looking woman next to her, "is Mrs Appleby."

Beth began twisting her hands, showing how nervous she was.

"The Mediwitch has given us permission to use her office." She reached behind Beth, opened the door, and the three stepped in.

Severus was listening to Poppy as he watched the interplay before him.

"Enough. Now tell me what is going on here," he demanded.

"She needs to talk to someone Severus. She needs to get this out of her system and to understand what has happened to her," Poppy said gently.

"By Merlin, I did talk to her. What do you think we were doing out in the rain?" He spat at Poppy as his voice started to rise.

"Do you really think she does not know what happened to her? Do you think she slept throughout the whole thing?" He was becoming enraged.

Poppy jumped to her feet, poking him in the chest with her finger "You listen to me, and you listen well young man. If you ever plan to have that witch back, in your bed and hopefully as your wife you will let this be. You will bite your lip until you bleed. You will choke on your words and not let them out of your mouth," she stormed at him. "You will not interfere. You will not tell her what to do. You will not tell me what to do, or question my authority in this infirmary. Do. You. Hear. Me." She continued to poke.

"Wow!" A small breathless voice drifted over to them.

They both stood looking as Ellen came running up to them, looking at each in turn.

"Daddy," she wiggled her finger indicating that he should come closer. "You look just like Mr. Weasley does when he is late from work," she whispered.

"And she," she said pointed her finger at Poppy, "acts just like Mummy Molly does."

Severus stood, raised his chin as high as he could, searching for the dignity he was sure he had left in his other robes, and turning on his heel left.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**The Unwanted **

**Chapter 33**

* * *

The next few months passed quickly. Tobby was soon to be a second year and was awaiting his class assignments. Ellen was six, and attending the day school in Hogsmeade. Severus had started on his plan for Classic Studies of Pure Blood Customs. Unable to find a full time instructor he had added it to the History of Magic curriculum. He wanted to start with the first years, hoping that by the time they reached seventh they would know their history, and know that with their heritage came responsibility.

"You will be better off to waiting until you can offer them the proper class rather than to adding it to this rubbish," Beth scoffed at the History of Magic text.

"It is not rubbish. Perhaps if more of our students learned the history of our own people, instead of only the goblins and elves, we can recognize the signs and keep the next Dark Lord from starting," he lectured.

"These attitudes and customs have nothing to do with our history," she said stubbornly. "You know they are archaic and should be tossed out. Teaching about them only leads to carelessness, and too many that think they can use them to their advantage."

"No Beth, most customs are a direct result of a necessary development, a direct line can be drawn. If you read the material, you should know this," he sighed. "I don't understand your reluctance on this. I really do not. Give me one example, just one pureblood tradition that cannot be traced back as necessary in our history, name one,"

"A brand Severus, what is the purpose of a brand? Why would a Wizard need to brand a witch?"

"Because," he sighed, "it made sure the bloodline and inheritances remained _intact_ and that the family was always cared for, not blasted off a tapestry."

"Pure, the word is Pure, so some oversexed Wizard …," she started.

He took two strides and had reached her, pulled her to him, and let her lose the rest of her words into his mouth. He felt her soften, felt her fall into him with a soft moan.

Pushing her back, he raised an eyebrow up and questioned. "Are you done?"

"Yes my dear," she smirked jokingly.

She turned and sat down, resigned to sit and listen. They had changed the safe word, slightly, he would no longer say it, he would do it. They both agreed it worked better that way.

"As I was saying," he continued. "So the line was assured to continue, that the line was known. So, a Wizard could know for sure that the child the witch carried was his," he looked at her with a hard stare, "and don't tell me that is not important, Pureblood or not."

He tossed back a shot of fire whiskey and continued. "The brand was used prior to the current marriage bonding, would you do away with that as well?" he asked as she shook her head. "I thought not. As I was saying, the original wife was bonded, hence the bonding in marriage, the next were branded."

"The next?" she asked her ire climbing.

"Yes," he stared down at her, "Beth, how much of this have you even read or remembered from the adoption procedures?" He saw her become suddenly interested in her sleeve. "I will continue. Remember the rules on adoption? Yes? The wife of a dead brother would be branded. Thus, they sealed not only her fidelity to her new husband, but his inheritance to her children."

"I don't get it," she said, frowning.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he sighed. "He gave her children equal rights as his own. Beth, branding was a good thing once. It protected her, gave her property, made sure that her children were taken care of. The world was different then, and a witch left with no property, no family, could easily starve to death. Nevertheless, over the years it has turned into a way to enslave, it has been turned dark. The spell has been bastardized to allow branding without knowledge, without clear need. That is wrong. Any of our students, male and female, needs to know that."

"So," she said thoughtfully, "you think if they know the reason behind it, they will not use it?"

"I should hope that realising that true brandings are permanent, that the consent of the witch is needed, and that the loss of some of his own children's inheritance is assured, they would think to not use it wrongly," he sighed. "Add to that, that it is a life long commitment to support and care for the person, not to enslave them but to ensure the family bond is never broken. Our own divorce laws stem from this. That is why it is nearly impossible to break a marriage in this world."

"Permanent," she whispered looking stricken.

"Not your type, it was not a true branding. He did not have your consent nor was it done at a formal ceremony," he stated flatly.

She picked up the books on history and shooting him a look he did not quite appreciate, opened it at the beginning and began to read.

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Although she had no say in his management of the school, he and Minerva encouraged her to get involved and to sit in on classes to see what went on there. To Beth it began as a lesson in what she had missed. Some nights she was so upset over how far behind the students she was, she would fly into a rage at the slightest indiscretion. The children could read her moods and would stay in their rooms, or seek solace elsewhere. Often they would hide in their father's chambers not needing to say why, or to make up excuses.

She had become increasingly angry. Severus had at one time banned her from the Great Hall after he had heard her berating an elf for undercooked eggs and her tea being too weak, or too strong. He would storm off in much the same rage as she was in, leaving Poppy and Minerva shaking their heads and the children looking at the head table in embarrassment.

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The night before the Halloween Ball, Draco had come to visit with Severus and the children. Severus and Draco were sitting in front of the fireplace, as the children joined them sitting on the floor with Severus' highly prized chess set, Tobby attempting to teach Ellen the basic moves. Beth let herself into his chambers, as was the norm, and stopped upon seeing Draco. He smiled at her, rose to his feet, and gave a slight bow.

She scowled at him and then angrily sneered at Severus as she sat heavily on the sofa. Arms folded and a frown on her face.

"Go on," she said coldly, "I did not mean to disturb you."

"My dear, how could one as beautiful as you be considered a disturbance?" Draco chided her good humourly.

"So, you only want me here to look at Draco?" she snipped.

"That is not what I meant, and you know it," Draco hastily replied, looking to Severus for help.

"You're on your own boy," his godfather muttered.

"So, Draco, Severus, what were you two talking about, before I came in?" she tossed out.

"Oh, nothing important," Draco said innocently. "Just talking in general."

"About me?" she quipped. "I was just wondering since it got so quiet when I came in."

Draco looked to Severus who was busy putting the chessboard away and shooing the children to bed.

"Well, don't answer me," she pouted.

"I hear you are not with Gringotts any longer Draco. I hear you are trying your hand at something else," Beth said, as she examined her fingernails.

"Well, it is true that Gringotts and I have parted ways, difference of opinion really." He tried to laugh, but it came off sounding hollow and false. Something was going horribly wrong, but he did not know what it was.

"Oh really? Just a difference of opinion? And just would that opinion be?" she questioned sweetly.

Severus rubbed the bridge of his nose. He knew that tone.

"This ends now," he muttered and stalked across the room to Beth, grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the hall.

Students came out of their common rooms to watch the commotion falling in behind Draco to watch, staff members ran into the hallway to hush the students, and find out what the commotion was about. Severus strode, his hand tightly holding hers as he would hold a viper, hard enough to hold onto and control, but far enough away to avoid. By the time Severus made it to the Hospital Wing Poppy was waiting for them. Severus turned, released Beth long enough to flick his right hand at her uttering a binding spell, catching her before she fell. He picked her up only to dump her onto one of the beds.

"Fix her Poppy, and this time Fix. Her. Right." He turned to a sea of faces looking at him and sniggering at the show they had just seen played out in the halls.

"100 points from each house for… just because I can!" he yelled. Striding back to his office and slamming the door, he did not hear Draco's laughter, but he knew it was there.

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Mrs. Cummings assured Severus that anger and lashing out was one sure sign that Beth was on the road to recovery.

"Recovery my arse," he sneered. "Her children run from her. The staff no longer talks to her for fear she will turn on them. The students either hide from her, or watch around corners to laugh at her next break down. The elves, hell the damn elves will not come near her. "

"Severus, she has been through so much. You have no idea how she feels," Mrs. Cummings said kindly.

"Then she needs to tell me," he said flatly.

"She is afraid you will push her away." She watched his expression closely.

"What? I have never given her reason that this would … there are other things we disagree on but not this."

"Headmaster Snape, you must realize something. Over 85% of the time, when a witch is attacked like this, her husband leaves her. There are no statistics on those living in this kind of arrangement, however I would guess that percent to be higher."

"How. Dare. You." he seethed. "If you had even the smallest idea of what that witch has put me through you would not be standing there. I, I have put up with the Dark Lord, and Albus Dumbledore, but I cannot understand this. This… this witch."

"Headmaster, I dare nothing. I have not mentioned this to Beth. However, one thing she needs to be able to mend, is to know that she is blameless. That she is completely innocent, and that no one will think less of her. How am I to do that, considering that a raped witch in this backward society is always looked down upon? "

"I do not think less of her." He crossed his arms and looked down his nose at her. "Bloody hell witch, she saved her son's life."

"Headmaster," she said patiently. "This society will not accept an unmarried witch with children. Now, let us add the fact that she is living with you. I know it is wrong, but to her, your living arrangement, and what she went through with Lucius, all plays into what she thinks of herself. She was raised to believe that she is not worth anything more than to be used."

"Get out," he thundered at her.

"I see. One more example of how thoughtful you are being to her." She stood firmly in front of him. "Have you ever thought that if Lucius were alive today she could not press charges? Do you realize that her prior relationships, her relationship with you, would be held against her? Do you think she doesn't know this? Do you think for a minute she does run to hide whenever a parent comes to the school, or worry herself sick before each public event you drag her to? Tell me, does she anger when she is treated as a helpless but good looking…"

"House elf," he yelled, summoning a random elf.

"Go to the Ministry now, get me Kingsley. Now," he ordered the elf and then turned to glare at Mrs. Cummings. "Sit, this ends now."

Going to the floo, he called Minerva and ordered her to take the children to the hospital wing. He then flooed Draco, and ordered him there as well.

"Umm, Uncle I don't think that is such a good idea," Draco hesitated. "My presence seems to put her on edge."

"Did I stutter or did you not understand?" When he was finished with Draco, he stood and glared at Mrs. Cummings. "Do you want to see how easy all this is to solve? I have rules. Rule one, gather all concerned to one place and work out a solution. You are a concerned party. I suggest that you get your arse to the infirmary before I change my mind and take it there myself."

Grabbing a small box from his nightstand, he stormed to the infirmary to find everyone already assembled, looking at one another nervously. Kingsley gave him a glare, quite impressive for the new Minister of Magic, as he stood next to the elf that had brought him. Striding up to Beth's bedside, Severus yanked her up, dragging her to stand in front of Shacklebolt.

"Kingsley we are getting married. Now," he thundered.

Kingsley smiled widely and then looked around the room as if threatening anyone to talk or intercede. "I have to ask this. Are you sure? Now, be careful how you answer."

"What are you doing you damned idiot?" Beth started to fight him, pulling her arm and attempting to twist free.

"I am getting married witch, do you plan on coming with me willingly or making me look the fool?" he asked between clenched teeth.

She stood still, unsure what to say then turned to Kingsley and nodded.

He looked down to see Ellen tugging on his robes. "Can I get married too Daddy?"

"Get in line," he snapped at her.

Kingsley waved his arm to bring everyone forward to form a circle around the couple. He then performed a simple bonding ceremony, tying the binding ribbons to their hands, he intoned a spell he had recently discovered but had yet to test. Severus frowned and tried to follow his words, not familiar with the accent he soon lost the meaning and was further confused when Kingsley asked them to kneel. Then with a wave of his hand to the children, he indicated that they should do the same.

Congratulating each one of the newly formed family, he then turned to Ellen. "Young Miss Snape, do you agree to all that has occurred?"

"Yes sir," she nodded happily. "He's my Mum's daddy now?"

"Young Master Snape, do you agree to all that has occurred?" Kingsley smirked as he nodded to Ellen.

Tobby looked between Severus and his mother. Then he locked his eyes with Severus'.

"Can I ask him a question first?" Tobby asked.

Kingsley raised his eyebrow and looked to Severus, who then nodded consent.

"Sir, do you love my mother?" he asked.

"You are here boy, are you not?" Severus growled.

Tobby's smile could not get bigger. "Yes, most assuredly," he said in his best Snape voice.

Kingsley then turned to Severus, who had guessed where he was going with this.

"Do you Severus, offer full inheritance to these children, born before these vows," Kingsley intoned.

"Yes, most assuredly," he answered cocking an eyebrow at his son.

Kingsley looked into Beth's eyes, taking both of her hands in his. "Do you agree to this bonding, knowing that it is forever? Do you agree knowing that your children will be protected from the poverties of this world? Knowing this, do you agree to the bonding?" he intoned.

Beth stared at Kingsley, as he leaned forward and whispered, "He is a hard son of a bitch you know, but a good man."

"I so agree" she stated smiling. Suddenly she gasped and laying her hand over her right breast, fell forward.

"Severus," Kingsley continued, waving away Poppy. "Your wife's branding is voided. Place your ring on her finger."

Severus removed his grandmother's wedding ring from his pocket, sliding it onto Beth's left hand. They watched as it glowed and fitted to size, then rose to their feet as those watching applauded. Draco stepped up, placed a firm loud kiss on Beth's mouth, then turned and shook hands warmly as Severus glared at him.

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When Severus and Beth returned to his chambers, he pushed her onto the sofa and started pacing in front of the fireplace, stopping to stare at her and then once again began wearing a path in the carpet.

"Severus?" Beth asked grinning. "Whatever is the matter?"

"That… that woman, how dare she question me?" he seethed. "How dare she question my motives when it comes to how I treat you and my children? She has no business here."

"Who?" Beth asked.

"That Cummings witch, that bitch from St. Mungo's. She had the nerve to question my loyalty to you. She stood right there," he pointed to a place on the floor she had stood in only a short time earlier, "and said you could not, would not be healed of this, this thing, this damn Lucius thing, because I, I mind you, because I would not commit to you," he stammered to an end.

"So," she said going to him, standing in front of him and looking up, "You married me to show her she was wrong?"

"Yes!" He looked at her and then suddenly frowned.

"Severus," she purred up at him "how is it working so far?"

He looked at her. Took up her left hand to look at the ring he had placed there, tipped his head to the side, and looked at her face.

"So far, as I am still standing here, instead of taking you to bed, not well. Ask me in the morning, I hope to improve on the situation."

He pressed his lips to hers, as she clung to him with her arms around his neck. He pulled her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and walked to bed with her clinging to him.

"Severus?" she asked as he laid her down. "What about, you know … a spell?"

"For what?" He was trying to undo his buttons.

"Contraception."

"No!" He realized he had spoken too loud. Looking down at his buttons, he raised his right hand and divested himself of his clothing, then looked at Beth and did the same, leaving her naked. Climbing in bed with her, he laid over her, his legs between her thighs, his weight on his arms.

"No I said, and no I mean. I want to see you big with my child. I want to see that waddle, the way witches do when they are so damn big they cannot get out of a chair. I want you to have my baby, with me, here. First, I want to make it." He smirked, lowering his head and tasted her mouth, kissing down her neck, and found her breasts, marveling at how perfect they were.

"I owe Kingsley," he muttered burying his head between her breasts again and kissing the space in between them. His right hand caressed her face, her arm, and her side. Sliding his hand down lower, he felt her wetness, and looked up, watching her face.

"Beth, if you want me to stop, tell me."

"I want you, Tobias, I have always wanted you," she whispered back to him.

He kissed her stomach and decided he had waited long enough when he heard her gasp when he slid a finger inside her. He slid up her body positioning himself, wrapping her legs around his thighs. He lowered down to her mouth as he pushed into her, hearing her groan into his mouth. He stroked again, and again, and then felt himself ready to explode. He tried to hold back, knowing it was too soon. Mercifully, he only had to hold his position a few seconds more as he heard her call his name and was able to explode with her. Letting her legs drop, still in her, he could not leave her mouth and continued to hungrily kiss her.

"Making that a habit?" he laughed referring to the first time they had tumbled in bed.

"What? I waited this time didn't I?"

"Any sooner and I would not have been in you witch. Good thing I used a spell to get out of my clothes or I would still be standing next to the bed." He smirked down at her.

"Severus?" She turned serious, "Do you mind?"

"No, Beth. As long as it is my name you call, my bed you lay in, and my children you bear, I do not give a damn if I am still in the hallway." He was just as serious, but as she looked at him, she saw his lip twitch. "You do know that most Wizards would believe this a fantasy."

"What kind of fantasy?"

"That they could make a witch come as often, as hard and as quick as you." He continued to kiss her face between his words, intent on looking at the seven freckles he had found on her nose, and planning to inspect the two he knew were under her left breast.

"Why did it take you so long?" she asked.

"Long? Damn woman, I had not found my rhythm yet." If he was not lying with his penis inside the witch he would have been shocked.

"No, not this you oaf, I meant marrying me."

"Beth, I had planned on marrying you, I was just waiting for the right time."

"Right time?" she smiled, "and when pray Merlin, would the right time have come. We already have two children."

"When I could fuck you my dear, when I could fuck you," he said into her mouth kissing her again, hardening as he did.

"But Severus," she quizzed, "you didn't know Kingsley had found the spell."

"Then my dear," he groaned into her neck. "I would have been well and truly fucked."

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She had a girl nine months later, named Patience. They both thought it fitting. Severus had so enjoyed seeing her round and full with child that they had another, a boy, 15 months after that. They named him Galen.

Severus stayed on as Headmaster, for five more years, until he was sure of what they both wanted to do. They would sit up late, him with his Beth, and she with her Tobias. They made plans, wrote budgets, and gathered information, and when they finally left Hogwarts, it was with 65 children. Four Snape children and 61 of the summer children left that fall, all of which called the new school, on the far side of Hogsmeade home.

Occasionally the rivalry between Quiddich teams became heated, occasionally the taunts between the free school and the private school got impassioned, but as Severus would say, "Rivalry builds character, and competition, strong adults. Just make sure you win or there will be detentions."

He was a stern Headmaster at his new school. He brooked no quarter where discipline was involved. His punishments were swift and often severe, but he was always perceived as fair. He no longer believed in houses, but believed all should live together. The students held him in awe, and as he grew older, they would seek him out, just to talk.

He perfected Ellen Speak, until he was as good at it as she was. He still would jump up from time to time in a conversation to kiss his Beth, the youngest children would laugh, the older two only nodded knowingly.

He brought only what he needed from Hogwarts to the new school, which he named Dumbledore Academy for Children. He brought Minerva and Poppy, who both he and Beth agreed they could not live without. They both came because they agreed with Molly's assessment that Severus and Beth would kill each other without adult supervision.

Molly agreed to take over Muggle studies for only a year, until the right person could be found for the position. She stayed for only 22 years. She was the grandmother that the children ran to with scraped knees and bloody noses. A special carriage carried Albus' Portrait and was hung on the Headmaster's wall. Severus would spend long hours chatting to him, seeking advice that he could then smugly ignore.

"You once asked if it was any easier to lose someone you have spent so many years with my boy," Albus said one mid-winter night as the snow pelted the window.

"No Albus, it would not be. I pray I never fully know." He thought of his Beth, curled up in bed asleep. "But it would be a sweeter pain, than never to have had her."

"And," Albus asked, "Would it be easier to lose one child among so many?"

"I cannot imagine the loss of even one." He sighed as he took a swallow of his whiskey.

"And if you had friends, or old students that sought you out just because, would it be easier my boy, to grieve for the loss?" Albus smiled at him.

"No old man, now stop this maudlin before I find the paint remover." Severus sneered.

FIN


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